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M,  C       '    " 

TheSatnr 
346    ^ 

Palo  AJto.  Cal. 


.*• 


NEW  ARABIAN    NIGHTS. 


» 


4'  7 


ARABIAN  STORY  TELLER. 


THE 


NEW   ARABIAN   NIGHTS 

I 
\ 

SELECT    TALES, 

NOT  INCLUDED  BY  GALL  AND   OR  LANE- 


PHILADELPHIA: 
J.    B.    LIPPINCOTT   &    CO. 

1883. 


Univ.  Library,  UC  Santa  Cruz  1997 


Translated  and  Edited  by 

W.    F.    KIRBY. 
AUTHOR  OF  "ED-DIMIRYAHT,  AN  ORIENTAL  ROMANCE,"  ETC. 


PREFACE. 


Galland  translated  the  "Thousand  and 
One  Nights,"  he  had  only  a  small  portion 
of  the  original  work  before  him  ;  and  as  all 

]>  the  English  editions  now  obtainable,  except 
that  of  Lane,  are  simply  translated  from 

Galland's  version,  they  are  equally  incomplete. 
The  masterly  edition  of  Mr.  Lane,  made  from  the 
best  Egyptian  editions,  would,  however,  leave  nothing 
to  be  desired  if  he  had  not  been  limited  for  space, 
which  forced  him  to  omit  several  highly  interesting 
stories.  Again,  different  versions  of  the  original 
book  include  very  different  tales,  and  therefore  it 
occurred  to  the  Editor  of  the  present  volume  that 
a  series  of  the  best  fairy  tales  which  Galland  and 
Lane  have  not  included,  might  not  be  uninteresting 
to  English  readers  ;  and  should  this  volume  be 
favourably  received,  ample  materials  exist  for  a 
second  series  of  equal  interest,  without  touching  the 
stones  which  are,  properly  speaking,  novelettes 
rather  than  fairy  tales.  It  may  be  mentioned  that 
since  this  volume  was  first  projected,  a  new  and 


vin 


Preface. 


complete  translation  from  the  Arabic  of  the  entire 
work  has  been  announced  as  nearly  ready  for  pub 
lication  ;  but  it  is  obvious  that,  apart  from  its  bulk 
and  costliness,  the  new  work  is  intended  for  scholars 
only,  and  by  no  means  for  the  general  public. 

Of  the  six  stories  in  the  present  volume,  the  first 
two  are  derived  from  Weil's  German  version,  and 
are  believed  to  have  never  appeared  in  English 
before.  The  remainder  were  translated  by  Jonathan 
Scott  at  the  beginning  of  the  present  century,  the 
first  from  an  Indian  and  the  remainder  from  a 
Syrian  manuscript.  It  now  remains  to  make  such 
preliminary  remarks  on  each  of  the  tales  here  pub 
lished  as  appear  to  be  absolutely  necessary. 

I.  The  Adventures  oj  ZaJicr  and  All.     This  story 
is  remarkable  for  its  moral  tone,  which  is  far  higher 
than  customary  in  Arabian  tales,  as  well  as  for  the 
friendly  manner  in  which   Christians   are   mentioned 
in  it.     There  can  be  little  doubt,  from  the  description 
of  the  island   to  which    Zaher  was   carried    by  the 
genius   after    leaving    King   Amrad,    that   we    have 
a  hyperbolical  though  not  wholly  incorrect  descrip 
tion  of  the  Island  of  TenerifTe,  probably  written  long 
before  it  was  known  to  Europeans. 

II.  Joodar    of    Cairo    and    Mahmood    of    Tunis. 
Joodar's  meeting  with  the  Moors  is  almost  the  same 
adventure  as  that  related  in   Lane's  "  Story  of  Joo 
dar";  but  the  present  tale  presents  us  with  no  other 
points   of  similarity.      The   accounts   of    enchanted 


Preface.  ix 


cities  and  underground  passages,  etc.,  in  the  "  Thou 
sand  and  One  Nights "  appear  to  reflect  the  impres 
sion  made  by  the  fading  glories  of  Egypt  upon  the 
Arab  conquerors. 

III.  The  Labourer  arid  tJie  Chair.      In  the  collec 
tion   of   Eastern  Tales  by  Petit  de  la  Croix,  called 
the  "  Thousand  and   One   Days,"  there    is   a  similar 
story  of  an  impostor  with   a  flying  box,  who  passes 
himself  off  as  the  Prophet  Mohammed.      But  he  is 
more  unfortunate   than    the   labourer,  for   he   burns 
his  box  with  fireworks,  and  is  thus  prevented  from 
ever  returning  to  the  princess. 

IV.  Mazin  of  Khorassan.       This    story   is   nearly 
the  same  as  Lane's  "  Hasan  of  El  Basrah  "  ;  but  the 
account  of  the  hero's  adventures  after  setting  out  in 
search  of  his   wife  differs  so  much  that  it  has  been 
thought  worth  while  to  include  Scott's  story  in  the 
present  volume.      After  the   first   few   pages,    Mazin 
is    always   spoken    of,  without    any  explanation,   as 
"Mazin  of  Bassorah."     It  therefore  seemed  better  to 
add  a  few  words  transferring  the  scene  of  the  flight  of 
Mazin's  wife  to  Bagdad,  a  more  appropriate  locality 
than  either. 

The  Islands  of  Wah-wak,  seven  years'  journey 
from  Bagdad,  in  the  story  of  Hasan,  have  receded 
to  a  distance  of  a  hundred  and  fifty  years'  journey 
in  that  of  Mazin.  There  is  no  doubt  that  the  Ara 
Islands,  near  New  Guinea,  are  intended ;  for  the 
wonderful  fruits  which  grow  there  are  birds  of  Para- 


x  Preface. 

disc,    which  settle  in   flocks   on  the  trees    at   sunset 
and  sunrise,  uttering  this  very  cry. 

V.  Abu  Nent  and  Abu  Naitcen.       This   story  is 
chiefly  interesting  as   combining  three  others;  viz., 
"Aboo    Kcer  and   Aboo   Seer,"  "The    Envier   and 
the  Envied,"  and  *  The  Jealous  Sisters."     But  though 
containing  incidents  borrowed  from  all  three,  it  has 
no  more  than  a  general  resemblance  to  any  of  them. 

VI.  The  Fisherman  s  Son.      This   story  has  been 
included  because  it  contains  the  nucleus  of  the  well- 
known  story  of  Aladdin,  the  original   of  which  has 
not   yet   been    discovered,   while   doubts    have  even 
been  thrown  on  its  being  of  Oriental  origin  at  all. 

Although  the  Arabs  frequently  undertook  long 
voyages,  they  never  seem  to  have  ventured  into  the 
open  sea  willingly,  but  merely  to  have  coasted  along 
from  one  country  or  island  to  another. 

In  conclusion,  it  may  be  mentioned  that  transla 
tions  made  from  Tunisian  and  Syrian  MSS.  of  the 
"Thousand  and  One  Nights"  appear  to  resemble 
each  other  more  closely  than  the  standard  Egyptian 
MSS.  It  is  possible  that  they  more  nearly  represent 
the  original  form  of  a  work  current  throughout  the 
East,  while  the  more  artistic  Egyptian  editions 
represent  a  later  and  more  modernized  form  of  the 
work. 

W.  F.  KiRBY. 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

ADVENTURES  OF  ZAHER  OF  DAMASCUS  AND  HIS  SON. 

ALI      .  ^J"<-~i* 

JOODAR  OF  CAIRO  AND  MAHMOOD  OF  TUNIS  J  t  .124 
STORY  OF  THE  LABOURER  AND  THE  FLYING  CHAIR  .  272 
STORY  OF  MAZIN  OF  KHORASSAN  .  .  .  .  .  296 
ABU  NEUT  AND  ABU  NEUTEEN  .  £7  366 
THE  FISHERMAN'S  SON ,„  384 


THE   ADVENTURES  OF   ZAHER,  OF 
DAMASCUS,  AND  HIS  SON  ALL 


AHER  was  a  rich  merchant  who   lived    at 
Damascus,    and    was    highly    esteemed    by 
his  fellow-townsmen  for  his  uprightness  and 
virtuous  qualities.     He  was  in  the  prime  of 
life,  and  notwithstanding  his  wealth  and  popu 
larity,  he  was  still  unmarried. 

One  night  Zaher  beheld  a  beautiful  girl  in  a  vision. 
She  was  fairer  than  the  full  moon,  her  lips  were  like 
coral,  her  teeth  when  she  smiled  were  like  pearls,  her 
hair  was  as  dark  as  night,  her  cheeks  were  like 
anemones,  her  eyes  like  those  of  a  gazelle,  and  her 
arched  eyebrows  were  painted  with  antimony.  Zaher 
was  charmed  at  her  appearance,  and  cried  out,  "  Praise 
to  the  Creator  of  so  adorable  a*  being  !  O  beautiful 
lady,  are  you  one  of  the  daughters  of  men,  or  of  the 
genii  ? "  But  she  replied,  "  How  should  the  daugh 
ters  of  the  genii  compare  with  Princess  Farha,  the 

daughter  of  King  Mutar,  who  rules  over  the  Coral 

2 


New  Arabian  Nights. 


City,  on  an  island  of  the  Black  Sea,  which  adjoins 
the  Green  Sea  ?  My  father's  city  abounds  in  pearls, 
corals,  sapphires,  and  other  precious  stones,  and  many 
powerful  kings  and  wealthy  merchants  have  sought 
my  hand  in  marriage,  but  I  found  none  worthy  to 
become  my  husband.  My  father  has  therefore  given 
me  permission  to  travel  through  the  world,  but  until 
I  beheld  you  I  saw  no  one  whom  I  should  desire  to 
marry.  If  you  think  me  as  beautiful  as  you  say,  you 
must  journey  to  the  palace  of  my  father,  King  Mutar, 
in  the  Coral  Islands." 

With  these  words  she  vanished,  and  Zaher  started 
from  his  sleep.  He  lay  awake  for  the  remainder  of 
the  night  pondering  over  the  vision  ;  but  he  rose  up 
the  moment  the  dawn  appeared,  and  ordered  his 
servants  to  pack  up  merchandise,  and  to  prepare 
everything  necessary  for  a  journey  to  Bagdad.  Zaher 
completed  his  preparations  with  all  possible  speed, 
and  left  part  of  his  property  behind  in  charge  of  a 
steward.  He  reached  Bagdad  in  safety,  where  he 
remained  for  ten  days,  exchanging  his  goods  for 
whatever  merchandise  is  most  prized  in  India,  and  he 
then  took  his  passage  in  a  vessel  bound  for  the  East. 

When  Zaher  left  the  harbour  the  wind  was  favour 
able,  and  drove  the  ship  forward  like  an  arrow  from  a 
bow  for  the  space  of  three  months,  but  on  the  first 
day  of  the  fourth  month  the  whole  sky  became 


One  night  Zaher  beheld  a  beautiful  girl  in  a  vision. 


ll 

The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  Son.     5 

suddenly  overcast,  the  sea  rose,  and  the  wind  seemed 
to  blow  from  every  direction  a*  once.  The  sailors 
began  to  weep  and  to  cry  to  God  for  help,  when  all 
at  once  a  succession  of  great  waves  broke  over  the 
ship  and  crushed  her  to  pieces.  All  were  swallowed 
up  by  the  furious  sea  except  Zaher,  who  bound  him 
self  to  a  plank  and  was  driven  along  by  the  waves 
for  three  days,  until  the  wind  and  the  sea  became 
calmer. 

Zaher  was  completely  exhausted,  and  prayed  to 
God  for  deliverance,  when  lo !  a  fine  ship  with  large 
sails  steered  past,  and  the  captain  saw  him  and 
cried  out,  "  Now  we  have  attained  our  end !  Throw 
this  unfortunate  man  a  rope-ladder."  Zaher  caught 
the  ladder  and  was  helped  on  board,  but  he  was  so 
overcome  with  fatigue  and  with  joy  at  his  rescue 
that  he  fainted,  and  remained  insensible  till  near 
sunset.  On  opening  his  eyes  he  found  himself  in 
a  splendid  cabin,  lighted  by  two  wax  candles  of 
enormous  size,  while  a  delicious  odour  of  ambergris 
and  aloes  wood  arose  from  a  fire  burning  in  a  brazier. 
A  youth  sat  by  the  couch  on  which  Zaher  was  lying, 
clothed  in  silken  robes,  embroidered  with  gold. 
Round  his  waist  was  a  golden  girdle  set  with  a 
variety  of  large  and  costly  jewels,  and  he  held  a 
sceptre  of  emerald  in  his  hand.  Zaher  was  dazzled 
by  so  much  splendour,  and  was  about  to  close  his 


New  Arabian  Nights. 


eyes  again,  when  the  youth  perceived  that  he  was 
awake,  and  said,  "O  Zaher,  why  is  your  mind  so 
troubled  ?  Know  that  we  have  been  searching  for 
you  for  ten  days  past,  over  all  mountains  and  seas  ; 
and  the  powerful  King  Mutar,  the  lord  of  the  Coral 
Islands,  has  despatched  nine  other  ships  besides  ours 
in  search  of  you,  and  has  offered  ten  thousand  dinars 
to  any  one  who  would  bring  you  to  him.  But  praise 
be  to  God  that  we  have  found  you  at  last ! " 

Zaher  was  much  surprised,  and  said,  "I  entreat  you 
to  tell  me  how  you  knew  that  I  was  coming  here, 
and  how  you  know  my  name."  The  youth  answered, 
"  Know  that  I  am  an  officer  of  King  Mutar.  He 
sent  me  to  Syria  in  search  of  you,  and  when  I  heard 
that  you  had  gone  to  Bagdad,  I  followed  you  there, 
but  found  that  you  had  already  sailed  for  India.  I 
heard  afterwards  that  the  ship  had  been  wrecked; 
and  when  I  informed  King  Mutar,  he  immediately 
despatched  ten  ships  in  search  of  you,  and  ordered 
the  commanding  officers  to  treat  you  with  marked 
respect."  He  then  presented  Zaher  with  the  robe 
and  girdle  which  he  himself  had  worn,  and  ordered  a 
table  to  be  prepared,  loaded  with  the  choicest  roast 
and  baked  meats  and  sweets. 

When  Zaher  had  finished  eating  he  went  on  deck, 
and  saw  a  great  light  in  the  distance.  The  officer 
said,  "  That  must  be  the  ship  of  King  Mutar,  who  is 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  Son.     7 

aware  that  we  have  found  you,  and  is  anxious  to 
welcome  you  himself."  When  they  approached  the 
large  and  brilliantly  illuminated  vessel  of  the  king,  he 
smiled  a  friendly  greeting,  and  summoned  Zaher  to 
follow  him  to  shore.  When  they  landed,  Zaher  threw 
himself  at  the  feet  of  the  king  and  thanked  him  for 
his  rescue.  The  king  welcomed  him  in  the  most 
friendly  manner,  and  commanded  two  noble  horses 
to  be  brought.  They  rode  side  by  side  through  the 
city,  where  the  inhabitants  received  them  with  joyful 
shouts.  On  reaching  the  courtyard  of  the  palace  all 
the  officers  and  attendants  dismounted,  but  the  king 
made  Zaher  ride  by  his  side  up  to  the  very  door  of 
the  palace  itself.  Here  Zaher  saw  a  splendour  and 
magnificence  greater  than  he  had  ever  seen  in  his  life. 
The  king  led  the  way  to  a  great  hall,  where  a  throng 
of  attendants  awaited  his  commands.  He  sat  down 
on  his  throne  and  made  Zaher  sit  beside  him,  and 
when  a  table  was  set  before  them  covered  with 
various  dishes,  the  king  said,  "In  the  name  of  God  !" 
and  picked  out  the  best  morsels  for  Zaher,  who  kissed 
his  hand  in  acknowledgment. 

When  they  had  eaten,  the  attendants  handed  them 
water  in  golden  basins  to  wash  their  hands.  Presently 
the  king  said,  "  Do  you  know,  Zaher,  why  I  have 
brought  you  here  and  showed  you  so  much  favour  ? 
I  have  a  daughter  so  beautiful  and  amiable  that  the 


8  New  Arabian  Nights. 

sun  has  never  risen  on  her  equal,  and  she  has  become 
so  skilled  in  magic  through  the  instructions  she  has 
received  from  an  old  nurse,  that  if  she  pleased  she 
could  fly  through  the  world  from  east  to  west  in  a 
single  night.  Envoys  were  often  sent  from  distant 
countries  to  ask  her  hand  in  the  name  of  kings  and 
princes,  but  she  always  replied,  '  I  must  first  see  my 
future  husband  with  my  own  eyes/  She  would  then 
absent  herself  for  a  short  time,  and  when  she  returned 
she  would  say,  '  I  do  not  like  him,  and  you  can 
dismiss  the  messengers  with  some  excuse.'  I  would 
then  answer,  'Do  as  you  please,  my  daughter;  I  will 
not  compel  you  to  marry  any  one  against  your  will.' 
One  day  she  went  to  see  a  prince  residing  at  Damas 
cus,  but  as  he  did  not  please  her  she  went  to  the 
bazaars  and  into  the  town,  passing  from  house  to 
house  by  her  magic  art,  until  she  met  with  you.  You 
alone  have  won  her  heart,  and  pleased  her  so  much 
that  she  desires  to  marry  you.  She  was  almost  able 
to  calculate  the  moment  of  your  arrival;  and  praise 
be  to  God  who  has  preserved  you  and  brought  you 
here  at  the  appointed  time." 

Zaher  replied  :  "  O  mighty  king,  I  am  less  than  one 
of  your  servants ;  but  how  should  I  oppose  the  will  of 
your  daughter  if  it  is  also  pleasing  to  yourself!  " 

The  king  then  retired  to  a  private  room,  and  after 
a  time  he  returned  smiling,  and  called  for  the  kaid 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  'Jits  Son.    9 

and  witnesses.  The  marriage  contract  was  drawn  up, 
gold  and  silver  was  scattered  about,  and  presents 
were  made  to  the  attendants,  as  well  as  to  the  kadi 
and  witnesses. 

The  king  then  rose  up,  and  all  the  company  with 
drew,  after  which  he  led  Zaher  through  seven 
passages  and  seven  halls,  in  each  of  which  stood  a 
thousand  pages  clothed  in  silk.  At  length  they 
reached  the  innermost  hall,  in  the  midst  of  which 
a  fountain  was  playing.  At  the  upper  end  stood  an 
ivory  throne  set  with  pearls  and  jewels,  and  covered 
with  satin,  embroidered  with  gold.  As  they  ap 
proached  the  throne,  two  doors  opened,  one  on  the 
right  side  of  the  hall,  and  one  on  the  left,  and  slave- 
girls  stepped  forth,  carrying  vases  of  perfume  set  with 
jewels,  which  filled  the  whole  hall  with  the  odour  of 
musk  and  ambergris,  and  Zaher  thought  that  the 
gates  of  Paradise  had  opened.  Presently  a  hundred 
slave-girls,  like  moons,  entered  from  a  side  chamber  ; 
but  there  was  a  maiden  who  shone  like  the  sun,  in 
the  midst,  who  was  so  beautiful  that  no  words  could 
describe  her  ;  and  when  Zaher  saw  her,  and  recognised 
the  maiden  who  had  appeared  to  him  in  a  dream,  he 
almost  lost  his  senses  with  delight.  He  forgot  all 
the  dangers  through  which  he  had  passed,  and  praised 
God,  the  creator  of  so  beautiful  a  creature. 

When  the  king  saw  the  impression  which  she  made 


io  New  Arabian  Nights. 

upon  Zaher,  he  smiled  and  said,  "  Take  my  daughter, 
and  may  God  bless  you  ! "  He  then  withdrew,  and 
the  slave-girls  also  retired  with  Farha,  but  soon 
brought  her  back  wearing  a  dress  still  more  splendid 
than  the  first.  They  led  her  backwards  and  forwards 
till  they  had  displayed  her  to  Zaher  in  seventy-two 
magnificent  costumes,  each  of  which  seemed  to  en 
hance  her  incomparable  beauty  more  than  the  last. 

When  at  length  they  were  left  alone,  Zaher  ex 
claimed  :  "  O  Light  of  my  Eyes,  how  little  do 
I  regret  leaving  home  and  friends,  and  incurring  the 
danger  of  death  on.  thy  account !  " 

"  I  too,"  replied  Farha,  "  have  passed  many 
sleepless  nights,  and  I  underwent  much  trouble 
and  anxiety  for  your  sake.  I  was  compelled  to 
contend  against  kings  of  men  and  kings  of  the 
genii  in  order  to  obtain  news  of  you  every  hour 
until  your  arrival.  But  praise  be  to  God  who  has 
granted  us  our  present  happiness  !  Let  us  forget  all 
that  we  have  suffered  ;  but  as  no  one  is  secure  from 
the  reverses  of  fortune,  give  me  at  least  the  ring  on 
your  finger  as  a  token  of  remembrance."  Upon  this, 
Zaher  drew  off  the  ring  which  he  had  inherited  from 
his  father,  and  gave  it  her,  and  she  gave  him  a  costly 
bracelet  in  return. 

Zaher  did  not  awake  until  the  sun  was  high  in  the 
heavens,  but  what  was  his  consternation  to  find  him- 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  Son.   1 1 

self  in  a  horrible  desert  where  no  living  thing  was 
visible,  nor  was  there  even  a  blade  of  grass  to  refresh 
the  eye,  and  no  sound  was  heard  but  the  howling  of 
ghouls,  and  the  cries  of  evil  genii !  He  rose  up  in 
despair  and  looked  around,  but  could  distinguish 
nothing  but  sky  and  sand,  upon  which  he  uttered  the 
sentence  which  saves  from  evil  him  who  pronounces 
it,  "  There  is  no  strength  nor  protection  but  in 
Almighty  God  !  "  He  then  raised  his  eyes  to  heaven 
and  exclaimed,  "  O  Lord,  who  knowest  what  is  secret 
as  well  as  what  is  revealed,  pity  me  for  the  love  of 
Mohammed,  and  look  upon  me  with  Thine  unsleeping 
eyes  !  "  He  had  scarcely  spoken  when  he  fell  sense 
less,  overcome  by  the  burning  sun,  and  remained  in 
sensible  till  evening,  when  a  cool  breeze  refreshed  him. 
He  rose  and  walked  on  in  darkness,  without  knowing, 
where,  but  soon  fell  down  exhausted  with  hunger, 
thirst,  and  weariness,  and  fell  asleep  again,  when  he 
heard  a  voice,  in  a  dream,  crying,  "  Fear  not,  Zaher, 
for  help  is  near."  He  awoke  strengthened  and 
comforted,  and  walked  straight  on  in  one  direction 
till  daybreak,  when  he  saw  something  in  the  distance 
which  looked  like  fire.  As  he  drew  nearer  he 
perceived  that  it  was  a  lantern,  .set  on  the  tower 
of  an  old,  strong,  and  very  lofty  monastery.  The 
monastery  itself  was  lit  up  with  a  thousand  lamps 
and  candles,  and  appeared  to  contain  a  great  num- 


12  New  Arabian  Nights. 

her  of  inhabitants.  When  Zaher  came  up  close  to 
the  walls,  a  very  old  monk  clothed  in  black  opened 
a  window,  thrust  out  his  head,  and  exclaimed,  "  O 
Lord,  Creator  of  the  seven  earths  and  the  seven 
heavens,  the  salt  dews  and  the  rivers  of  sweet  waters, 
the  darkness  and  the  light !  O  Thou  who  makest  the 
dead  to  live  and  the  living  to  die  ;  Ruler  of  this 
world  and  the  next  ;  O  God,  blessed  be  Thy  holy 
name !  Thanks  be  to  Thee  for  Thy  protection  and 
help  in  the  trials  which  Thou  hast  decreed.  In  Thee 
alone  is  a  sure  refuge  to  be  found,  as  when  Thou 
didst  restore  his  son  Joseph  to  Jacob  !  Thou  alone 
art  the  true  Benefactor,  therefore  forgive  all  who 
have  been  disobedient  to  Thee,  and  send  Thy 
heavenly  aid  to  all  the  unhappy ! " 

When  Zaher  had  listened  to  this  prayer,  he  lay 
down  at  the  gate  of  the  monastery,  and  slept  again 
from  exhaustion.  When  he  awoke  he  found  himself 
surrounded  by  monks  whose  language  he  was  unable 
to  understand,  nor  did  any  one  understand  his  own 
language,  except  the  old  monk  who  had  prayed  at 
the  window.  He  returned  Zaher's  salutations,  and 
said,  in  Arabic,  "  My  friend,  by  the  Messiah,  we 
have  all  lived  in  this  desert  since  we  were  seven 
years  of  age,  and  we  are  now  from  seventy  to 
eighty  years  old  ;  but  up  to  this  time'  we  have  never 
seen  either  a  man  or  a  genius  here.  This  island 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  Son.  13 

is  surrounded  on  all  sides  by  the  sea,  and  the  cliffs 
are  so  high  that  no  ship  can  land.  It  appears  to 
those  at  sea  like  a  white  cloud,  and  the  mountain 
which  surrounds  it  is  called  the  Diamond  Mountain, 
but  it  is  as  steep  and  inaccessible  as  an  upturned 
bowl.  How  was  it  possible  for  you  to  reach  it  ? " 

When  Zaher  heard  this,  he  said,  "  By  the  religion 
which  you  profess,  I  entreat  you  to  tell  me  how  far 
it  is  from  here  to  Damascus  ? " 

"  Damascus  !  "  replied  the  astonished  monk.  "  You 
are  now  upon  an  island  of  the  Black  Sea,  which  en 
compasses  all  other  seas,  and  flows  within  Mount  Kaf. 
According  to  the  reports  of  travellers,  it  is  a  ten 
years'  voyage  before  you  arrive  at  the  Blue  Sea,  and 
it  takes  full  ten  years  to  traverse  this  again  to  reach 
the  Green  Sea,  after  which  there  is  another  ten  years' 
voyage  before  you  can  reach  the  Greek  Sea,  which 
extends  to  inhabited  countries  and  islands." 

Zaher  asked  the  monk  how  they  could  obtain 
food  and  drink  in  so  desolate  a  region.  The  monk 
invited  him  into  the  monastery ;  and  on  entering 
the  courtyard,  Zaher  behe!4  a  spring  of  water 
sweeter  than  honey  and  as  clear  as  crystal.  Fruit 
trees  were  growing  on  the  banks,  and  birds  were 
warbling  in  the  branches.  The  monk  then  led 
Zaher  to  the  terrace  of  the  monastery,  when  he  was 
surprised  to  see  the  darkness  of  night  all  around 


14  New  Arabian  Nights. 

at  about  the  distance  of  a  day's  journey,  though  the 
sun  was  shining  brightly  overhead.  "What  you 
take  for  night,"  said  the  monk,  "  is  the  Black  Sea  ; 
but  let  us  now  take  some  refreshment."  The  dining- 
room  was  a  noble  hall,  where  a  golden  table  stood, 
decorated  with  pearls  and  jewels,  and  more  magnifi 
cent  than  any  in  the  palace  of  the  Governor  of 
Damascus.  On  the  table  stood  four  golden  dishes 
filled  with  meat,  fish,  confectionery,  and  delicious 
barley  bread.  When  the  monk  thought  that  Zaher 
had  satisfied  his  hunger,  he  offered  him  fruit,  different 
in  appearance,  as  well  as  in  smell  and  taste,  from 
any  he  had  ever  seen  before. 

"  You  tell  me  yourself,"  said  Zaher,  "  that  this 
island  is  inaccessible  ;  how  then  can  you  obtain  this 
great  variety  of  meats  and  fruits  ? " 

"Tell  me  first  how  you  came  here  yourself," 
said  the  monk,  "  and  then  I  will  answer  your 
question."  When  Zaher  had  finished  his  story, 
the  monk  laughed,  and  said,  "  Friend,  if  you  were 
not  predestined  to  something  extraordinary,  you 
never  could  have  traversed  the  distance  between 
Damascus  and  this  place.  The  island  of  King 
Mutar  lies  between  the  Green  and  the  Greek  Seas, 
and  therefore  at  an  immense  distance  both  from 
here  and  from  Damascus.  As  for  your  question 
respecting  our  circumstances,  follow  me." 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  Son.  1 5 

He  led  Zaher  back  to  the  courtyard  and  through 
a  short  subterranean  passage.  When  they  came 
out  again  into  the  open  air,  they  found  themselves 
treading  on  a  soil  which  shone  like  silver,  and  close 
to  a  small  lake  of  delicious  water.  On  the  banks 
grew  beautiful  flowering  shrubs,  and  the  finest  fruit 
trees,  in  the  branches  of  which  the  birds  were 
warbling  the  praises  of  Almighty  God  in  their  own 
language.  Zaher  was  bewildered  at  all  this  loveli 
ness,  and  almost  intoxicated  by  the  odour  of  the 
flowers.  . 

"  Have  you  any  such  pleasure  gardens  in  your 
own  country?"  said  the  monk. 

"No,  indeed,"  replied  Zaher;  "there  is  nothing  so 
beautiful  anywhere  else  in  the  world."  Looking 
back,  he  saw  something  like  a  cloud  in  the  sky, 
and  asked  what  it  was. 

"  That  is  the  mountain  on  which  our  monas 
tery  stands,"  said  the  monk  ;  "  it  is  so  far  off 
that  it  looks  only  like  a  cloud  from  here,  but  at 
night  it  resembles  a  star  from  the  number  of  lamps 
with  which  we  illuminate  it.  Our  corn  and  fruit 
come  from  this  country ;  and  occasionally  the  sea 
which  surrounds  us  rises  to  this  height,  and  when 
the  waters  subside  they  generally  leave  a  quantity 
of  fish  behind  them,  as  well  as  pearls  and  jewels 
which  abound  in  this  sea.  We  are  now  at. a  distance 


1 6  New  Arabian  Nights. 

of  ten  days'  journey  from  the  monastery  by  any 
other  route  than  by  the  subterranean  passage." 

They  remained  sitting  by  the  lake  till  evening, 
when  the  lights  of  the  monastery  began  to  shine 
out  above  them  like  small  stars.  They  rose  up  to 
return,  when  they  were  alarmed  by  a  terrific  cry 
which  shook  the  whole  island.  "By  the  Messiah!" 
said  the  monk,  "  I  have  passed  many  nights  here 
alone  and  never  heard  .the  least  noise.  Some  strange 
sea-monsters  must  have  landed  on  the  island  and 
attacked  the  wild  animals  which  inhabit  it.  Let  us 
climb  this  high  rock  by  the  lake." 

They  then  saw  that  the  air  was  filled  with  small 
flying  lights,  which  mutually  extinguished  another, 
and  armed  figures  were  contending  with  swords  and 
lances.  After  this,  two  bodies  of  cavalry  rushed  on 
each  other  with  such  a  shout  that  the  earth  quaked  ; 
and  the  battle  continued  for  some  time.  At  length 
the  two  armies  separated,  and  a  venerable  old  man, 
blind  of  one  eye,  stationed  himself  between  them, 
and  cried  in  a  loud  voice,  "  Spare  your  blood,  you 
foolish  people !  Why  should  you  fight  about  a 
stranger  who  is  not  even  a  king  or  a  prince,  and  of 
no  exalted  position  ? "  The  leader  of  one  of  the 
armies,  who  was  as  huge  as  an  elephant,  and  whose 
name  was  Tood,  stepped  up  to  the  old  man,  and 
said, — 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  ani  his  Son.   1 7 

"  Father,  I  swear  by  the  seal  of  our  lord,  Solomon, 
the  son  of  David,  that  our  master,  King  Mutar,  is 
guiltless  of  this  calamitous  war.  All  the  mischief 
has  been  caused  by  this  accursed  devil  Shulahek,  who 
invaded  our  country,  violated  our  sanctuary,  and 
carried  away  a  stranger  named  Zaher,  whom  he  left 
on  this  island.  All  we  desired  was  to  carry  this 
stranger  back  to  the  Coral  City,  by  command  of  Prin 
cess  Farha,  when  we  were  attacked  by  the  army 
of  Shulahek ;  and  you  have  witnessed  the  battle 
which  ensued." 

The  old  man,  whose  name  was  Abu  Tawaif,  replied, 
— "  King  Tood,  Shulahek  is  not  to  be  so  lightly 
blamed'  as  you  imagine.  Princess  Farha,  who  has 
bewitched  so  many  men  and  genii  with  her  beauty, 
drew  both  Shulahek  and  his  brother  Shallook  into 
the  snare  of  her  love.  They  fought  together  from 
jealousy,  and  Shulabek  slew  his  brother  after  a 
long  struggle.  But  when  he  made  his  suit  to  Farha, 
she  rejected  him,  and  preferred  a  stranger  from 
Damascus ;  so  he  watched  his  opportunity,  and 
carried  Zaher  away  to  this  desolate  island.  He  did 
not  venture  to  kill  him,  lest  Farha  and  her  father 
should  avenge  his  death  ;  but  why  should  you  fight 
about  so  insignificant  a  creature  ? " 

"You  are  right,"  answered  Tood;  "but  Zaher  is 
altogether  innocent,  and  as  a  stranger,  he  deserves 


1 8  New  Arabian  Nights. 

our  assistance  and  protection.  I  only  wish  to  execute 
the  commands  of  my  mistress,  Farha,  and  I  should 
be  glad  if  you  could  make  peace  between  us ;  but  I 
ask  you  all,  by  the  seal  of  Solomon,  the  son  of  David 
(on  whom  be  peace  !),  who  among  you  would  give  up 
a  guest  to  an  enemy  ? " 

On  this  all  exclaimed, — "  We  would  never  do  so  ; 
but  why  should  we  fight  any  longer  for  the  sake  of 
one  man  ?  " 

"True,"  said  Abu  Tawaif ;  "the  man  has  brought 
much  evil  upon  us,  but  as  his  bitterest  enemy  was 
unwilling  to  take  his  life,  it  would  be  doubly  wrong 
for  us  to  kill  him  ;  bring  him  here  to  me." 

Upon  this  a  messenger  sprang  towards  Zah'er,  and 
stationed  him  before  Abu  Tawaif. 

"  Are  you  aware,"  said  Abu  Tawaif,  "  that  a  whole 
army  of  genii  has  been  slaughtered  on  your  account? 
Ho\v  could  you  presume  to  marry  a  wife  whom  so 
many  kings  of  men  and  of  the  genii  have  sought  in 
vain  ? "  But  when  he  had  heard  Zaher's  story,  he 
exclaimed,  "  I  beseech  you,  Tood  and  Shulahek,  to 
desist  from  strife,  and  dismiss  your  armies,  for  you 
know  the  power  and  artifice  of  Queen  Farha.  This 
poor  man  is  wholly  innocent,  and  I  will  send  one 
of  my  servants  to  carry  him  to  his  home." 

"  I  cannot  .permit  this,"  said  Shulahek,  "  for  al 
though  I  did  not  like  to  kill  him,  my  mistress  would 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  Son.  19 

soon  rejoin  him  if  I  allowed  him  to  return  to  his  own 
house.  Let  us  throw  him  into  the  sea,  and  if  God 
pleases  He  may  save  him,  and  if  not  let  him  sink. 
If  Queen  Farha  threatens  us  with  war,  we  can  tell 
her  that  he  took  to  flight  when  he  saw  the  battle, 
and  fell  into  the  sea." 

This  proposal  met  with  general  approval,  and  was 
about  to  be  carried  into  execution,  when  suddenly 
innumerable  lights  appeared  in  the  distance,  and  a 
tremendous  voice  exclaimed,  "Forbear,  forbear,  for 
Queen  Farha  is  aware  of  your  design,  and  has  sent 
King  Sysam  to  rescue  Zaher  ! "  When  Abu  Tawaif 
heard  the  name  of  Sysam,  the  King  of  the  Valley 
of  Idols,  he  turned  pale,  and  said  to  Shulahek,  trem 
bling,  "  Did  I  not  tell  you  that  Queen  Farha  would 
shrink  from  nothing  to  regain  her  lover?  She  has 
now  sent  my  dear  son  Sysam  to  his  aid,  who  will 
slay  you  all  if  you  do  anything  to  injure  him."  "  Do 
what  you  think  right,"  said  Shulahek,  "  but  I  could 
not  endure  that  Zaher  should  return  to  Farha."  Abu 
Tawaif  then  advised  Sysam  to  allow  Zaher  to  be 
carried  back  to  his  home ;  but  when  they  sought  for 
him  and  could  not  find  him,  Sysam  said  to  Shulahek, 
"  You  have  certainly  ordered  one  of  your  servants 
to  carry  him  away,  and  put  him  to  death  secretly  ! " 
But  Shulahek  swore  by  the  seal  of  Solomon  that  he 
did  not  know  what  had  become  of  him,  and  sup- 


?o  New  Arabian  Nights. 

posed  that  Sysam  himself  had  sent  him  back  to 
Queen  Farha.  This  quarrel  would  have  led  to 
another  battle,  if  Abu  Tawaif  had  not  besought  them 
to  refrain  until  they  could  discover  what  had  become 
of  him,  adding,  "  I  will  myself  punish  the  offender, 
though  he  were  my  own  son  !  " 

While  the  kings  were  discussing  the  fate  of  Zaher, 
one  of  the  refractory  genii,  named  Dalhood,  who  was 
indignant  at  his  having  been  the  cause  of  so  terrible 
a  war,  carried  him  away  to  his  castle,  which  was 
situated  on  an  island  in  the  Sea  of  Darkness.  Here 
he  loaded  him  with  chains,  and  cast  him  into  the 
deepest  dungeon  ;  and  every  evening  when  he  was 
sitting  over  his  wine,  he  sent  for  him,  and  beat  him 
for  the  amusement  of  his  guests,  or  compelled  him 
to  stand  in  the  corner  of  the  room,  exposed  to  all 
manner  of  contumely  and  insult.  But  Zaher  was 
not  quite  comfortless,  for  his  gaoler,  Mifraj,  pitied 
him,  and  instead  of  putting  him  to  the  torture,  as 
Dalhood  had  commanded,  did  his  best  to  relieve  his 
sufferings  and  to  comfort  him. 

One  day  Mifraj  said,  "  I  should  like  to  carry  you 
back  to  some  inhabited  region,  but  we  are  separated 
from  the  world  of  light  by  a  distance  of  ten  years' 
journey,  which  could  not  be  traversed  without  very 
great  danger ;  and  even  then  we  should  never  be 
secure  from  this  infidel  king,  who  would  follow  us  to 
the  ends  of  the  earth." 


A  fiery  arrow  struck  Mifraj  and  consumed  him. 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  Son.  s  J 

But  at  this  moment  Dalhood  suddenly  entered  the 
prison,,  and  swore  by  the  Prince  of  Darkness,  that 
Mifraj  should  now  suffer  for  Zaher,  and  immediately 
sentenced  him  to  receive  a  thousand  lashes.  Mifraj 
pretended  to  be  insensible  till  Dalhood  left  the 
prison,  when  he  started  up  suddenly,  unbound  Zaher, 
and  seizing  him  in  his  arms,  flew  with  him  above  the 

• 

clouds  all  night,  and  in  the  morning  he  said, — "  Do 
you  know,  Zaher,  that  we  have  already  traversed  a 
space  of  ten  years'  journey  ?  "  Zaher  was  so  amazed 
that  he  forgot  that  his  guide  would  be  destroyed  by 
the  mention  of  the  name  of  God  ;  and  cried  out, 
"There  is  but  one  God,  and  Mohammed  is  His  pro 
phet  !  "  He  had  scarcely  uttered  the  profession  of 
the  faith  when  a  fiery  arrow  flew  from  heaven,  which 
struck  Mifraj  and  consumed  him  ;  but  Zaher  fell  to 
the  ground  uninjured. 

The  unknown  country  upon  which  he  fell  was  a 
desert,  but  he  wandered  on  in  one  direction  for  half 
a  day,  when  he  arrived  at  a  fertile  and  well-watered 
district.  Here  he  saw  a  man  on  the  banks  of  a 
stream  performing  the  ablutions  preparatory  to 
prayer,  upon  which  Zaher  did  the  same,  and  prayed 
by  his  side,  after  which  he  turned  to  his  companion, 
and  asked  in  what  country  he  had  arrived.  "  Know," 
replied  he,  "  that  this  island  is  inhabited  by  genii 
who  have  been  instructed  in  the  Koran  by  the 


24  New  Arabian  Nights. 

prophet  Khidder.  It  is  called  the  Diamond  Island, 
and  is  surrounded  by  the  Green  Sea,  which  extends 
to  Mount  Kaf.  Here,  too,  is  the  meeting-place  of 
the  angela  who  wander  through  the  earth  every  day, 
to  fulfil  the  commands  of  God." 

"What  is  Mount  Kaf  formed  of  ?M  asked  Zaher. 

"  It  consists  of  a  single  green  pearl.  The  noblest 
creatures  of  God  dwell  there,  and  it  is  guarded  by 
mighty  angels  on  every  side.  No  one  can  pass  it 
without  the  special  permission  of  God.  But  let  me 
now  introduce  you  to  our  king." 

Thus  speaking,  he  led  Zaher  to  a  magnificent  and 
strongly  fortified  city.  The  gates  were  guarded  by 
angels  having  genii  under  their  command  who  paced 
up  and  down  with  gold  and  silver  arrows  in  their 
hands.  Zaher  expressed  his  surprise  at  seeing  no 
minarets,  and  his  guide  explained  :  '  When  the  time 
for  prayer  arrives,  a  pillar  of  light  rises  from  the 
mountain  under  which  the  city  is  built,  and  a  thou 
sand  angels  proclaim  with  a  loud  voice,  '  God  is 
great !  O  creatures  of  God,  bear  witness  that  there  is 
but  one  God,  and  that  Mohammed  is  His  prophet ! '  " 

Thus  conversing,  they  arrived  at  the  palace  of 
King  Amrad,  with  which  nothing  that  Zaher  had 
yet  seen  could  be  compared  for  a  moment.  Here 
his  guide  left  him,  but  returned  immediately,  and 
informed  him  that  the  king  wished  to  hear  his  own 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  Son.  25 

account  of  his  arrival  in  a  country  which  no  man  had 
ever  visited  before.  He  then  ushered  Zaher  into  the 
presence  of  King  Amrad,  who  was  sitting  in  full 
divan,  surrounded  by  his  viziers,  counsellors,  and 
generals. 

Zaher  made  his  obeisance  to  the  king,  and  com 
menced  his  story,  but  he  had  not  quite  finished  when 
a  tremendous  noise  was  heard,  and  an  innumerable 
number  of  lights  and  flames  appeared  in  the  air. 
Immediately  afterwards  one  of  the  king's  lieutenants 
entered,  and  announced  :  "  O  mighty  king !  a  vast 
army  has  encamped  before  the  city,  whose  numbers 
God  only  can  estimate.  I  have  posted  our  troops 
around  the  city,  but  would  not  do  more  until  I 
received  your  orders." 

"  We  must  first  send  an  envoy  to  ascertain 
whether  they  are  friends  or  foes,"  replied  the  king, 
and  he  went  out  on  the  terrace  before  his  palace. 
Perceiving  that  the  army  was  less  numerous  than 
he  had  expected,  he  ordered  his  chief  vizier,  Dilhat, 
to  go  on  an  embassy  to  the  leaders  of  the  army,  to 
discover  who  they  were,  and  what  was  their  object 
in  invading  his  dominions.  Dilhat  mounted  his 
horse  and  rode  out  of  the  city,  accompanied  by  a  few 
attendants,  and  requested  one  of  the  foreign  soldiers 
to  lead  him  to  the  generals.  The  soldier  answered, 
"  The  army  before  you  is  headed  by  the  four  kings, 


26  New  Arabian  Nights. 

Shulahek,  Tood,  Sysam,  and  Dalhood.  Abu 
Tawaif,  the  most  crafty  of  all  the  kings  of  the  genii, 
is  with  them,  and  you  will  find  them  at  present 
assembled  in  his  tent,  which  is  pitched  in  yonder 
green  meadow."  Dilhat  at  once  proceeded  to  the 
tent,  where  he  was  admitted  as  an  envoy  from  King 
Amrad. 

We  must  now  go  back  a  little  in  our  story,  and 
explain  that  when  Dalhood  entered  the  prison  on  the 
day  after  Zaher's  flight,  intending  to  offer  him  as  a 
sacrifice  to  the  Prince  of  Darkness,  he  found  no  one 
there,  and  concluded  that  Mifraj  had  attempted  to 
escape  with  Zaher.  He  immediately  started  in 
pursuit,  and  flew  across  all  the  seas  and  islands  till  he 
reached  the  Diamond  Island,  where  he  heard  one  of 
the  inhabitants  say  to  another,  "  I  have  seen  a  great 
marvel  to-day.  A  genius  was  carrying  a  man  through 
the  air,  when  he  was  suddenly  consumed  to  ashes,  but 
the  man  escaped  unhurt,  and  is  now  in  the  king's 
palace."  Dalhood  was  glad  to  hear  of  the  death  of 
Mifraj  ;  but  as  he  knew  that  he  could  not  defy  the 
power  of  King  Amrad,  and  seize  Zaher,  he  flew  back 
homewards.  But  he  found  his  castle  surrounded  by 
an  army  as  numerous  as  the  sands  of  the  sea,  and 
thought,  "  By  the  night  and  the  darkness,  something 
very  unusual  has  happened,  for  I  have  never  seen  so 
many  troops  assembled  together  in  my  life.  I  have 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  Son.    27 

never  seen  a  genius  from  the  world  of  light  here  before, 
nor  has  any  one  previously  attempted  to  besiege  my 
castle."  He  then  asked  a  soldier  for  information,  and 
learned  that  the  army  consisted  of  three  divisions,  led 
by  Shulahek,  Tood,  and  Sysam,  and  that  Abu  Tawaif 
was  also  with  them. 

"  How  do  they  know  that  Zaher  was  brought 
here  ?  "  asked  Dalhood. 

"  They  heard  it  from  the  wife  of  Mifraj,"  replied 
the  soldier,  "who  besought  King  Sysam's  protection 
for  her  husband  and  Zaher." 

"  Well,"  thought  Dalhood,  "  as  Zaher  is  still  alive, 
I  have  nothing  to  fear,"  and  he  went  straight  to  Abu 
Tawaif,  whom  he  thus  addressed  :  "You  were  rightly 
informed  that  I  carried  Zaher  off,  hoping  to  bring 
your  quarrels  to  an  end,  and  to  punish  the  man  who 
has  been  the  cause  of  so  much  evil ;  but  my  gaoler 
betrayed  me,  and  Zaher  is  now  in  the  Diamond 
Island,  under  the  protection  of  King  Amrad.  But 
as  you  attach  so  much  importance  to  Zaher,  I  will 
accompany  you  thither  with  my  troops."  Abu  Tawaif 
accepted  his  offer,  and  the  united  forces  encamped 
before  the  city  of  King  Amrad,  as  already  related. 

When  Dilhat  entered  the  tent  he  saluted  the  kings 
respectfully,  introduced  himself  as  an  envoy  from 
King  Amrad,  and  requested  to  know  their  business, 
adding,  "  We  doubt  not  that  you  come  with  friendly 


28  New  Arabian  Nights. 

intentions,  for  even  if  you  should  overcome  the 
armies  of  King  Amrad,  he  could  always  retreat  to 
Mount  Kaf,  where  the  flaming  arrows  of  the  angels 
would  prevent  you  from  pursuing  him  any  farther,  so 
that  you  would  have  everything  to  lose  and  nothing 
to  gain  by  making  war." 

"  We  are  anxious  to  keep  on  good  terms  with  your 
master,"  replied  Abu  Tawaif,  "  but  we  demand  that 
he  shall  surrender  to  us  a  man  of  Damascus,  who  is 
now  with  him.  Queen  Farha  loves  this  Zaher,  and 
many  genii  have  already  perished  on  his  account." 

Dilhat  then  returned  to  King  Amrad,  and  informed 
him  of  the  names  of  the  confederate  kings,  and  the 
object  of  their  visit.  Amrad  immediately  summoned 
his  council,  and  laid  the  whole  affair  before  them, 
adding,  "  By  the  brightness  of  our  Prophet  Moham 
med  !  averse  as  I  am  to  war,  I  will  never  surrender 
a  true  believer  who  has  sought  my  protection,  to 
these  infidel  genii  !  I  will  call  Zaher,  and  if  he  is 
unwilling  to  go  with  them,  let  them  try  to  carry  him 
off  by  force,  if  they  dare." 

When  Zaher  was  informed  of  everything,  he  hung 
down  his  head  for  a  while,  and  after  due  consider 
ation  he  replied,  "  If  I  should  speak  truth,  great 
king,  I  long  most  for  my  friends  and  relatives  at 
Damascus.  I  should  not  be  displeased  to  remain 
here,  where  the  true  God  is  worshipped,  whom  I 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  Son.    29 

also  worship  ;  but  I  have  such  a  horror  of  these 
infidel  genii,  that  I  would  not  willingly  accompany 
them,  even  if  they  promised  to  reunite  me  with 
Queen  Farha." 

The  king  then  sent  Dilhat  back  with  a  positive 
refusal  to  surrender  Zaher. 

When  the  confederate  kings  heard  this  reply  they 
were  enraged,  and  cried  out,  "  What,  does  King 
Amrad  threaten  us  with  war  on  account  of  this 
miserable  fellow  ?  We  cannot  submit  to  such  an 
insult ;  let  us  sack  his  city,  and  kill  or  make  prisoners 
of  all  the  inhabitants." 

But  when  their  first  wrath  had  expended  itself, 
Abu  Tawaif  thus  addressed  them :  "  Know,  my 
children,  that  King  Amrad  is  not  so  easy  to  over 
come  ;  he  is  himself  a  hero,  and  his  army  is  like 
the  raging  sea.  It  will  be  best  for  us  to  with 
draw  from  the  country,  and  to  tell  the  king  that  we 
only  came  at  the  desire  of  Queen  Farha,  who  was 
afraid  that  her  husband  might  meet  with  further  ill- 
usage  ;  but  as  the  king  favours  him  so  much  that  he 
is  prepared  to  wage  war  rather  than  to  surrender  him, 
she  need  be  under  no  further  anxiety  on  his  account. 
But  we  will  leave  some  invisible  genii  behind,  with 
orders  to  carry  Zaher  away  the  moment  they  find 
him  alone.  Thus  we  shall  attain  our  end  without 
risking  a  battle." 


30  New  Arabian  Nights. 

This  proposal  was  received  with  acclamation,  and 
a  messenger  was  immediately  despatched  to  King 
Amrad  to  inform  him  of  the  proposed  withdrawal  of 
the  troops.  But  Amrad  had  already  been  informed 
by  an  angel  of  the  treacherous  designs  of  Abu 
Tawaif,  and  having  sent  for  Zaher,  he  said  to  him 
privately,  "  Your  life  is  in  danger  here,  for  you  are 
surrounded  by  invisible  genii,  who  are  ready  to  carry 
you  away  on  the  first  opportunity.  I  will,  therefore, 
order  one  of  "my  own  servants  to  carry  you  back, 
either  to  your  own  home  or  to  Queen  Farha,  which 
ever  you  prefer." 

"  Gracious  King,"  answered  Zaher,  "  I  have  suffered 
so  much  on  her  account  since  I  left  Damascus,  and 
she  has  shown  herself  so  little  able  to  protect  me 
from  her  unruly  servants,  the  evil  genii,  that,  much 
as  I  love  her,  I  fear  to  expose  myself  to  so  dangerous 
and  uneasy  a  life  again.  I  would  rather  return  to  a 
country  inhabited  by  men  like  myself." 

The  king  immediately  called  one  of  the  flying 
genii,  and  ordered  him  to  carry  Zaher  to  his  home, 
and  to  give  him  a  sufficiency  of  wealth  to  last  him 
for  his  whole  life.  The  genius  flew  with  him  for 
half  the  night,  and  then  gave  him  a  bag  full  of 
jewels,  and  left  him  on  the  top  of  a  high  mountain, 
saying,  "  I  must  return  home  before  daybreak,  but 
you  had  better  remain  here  till  daylight,  and  when 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  Son.    31 

you  descend  the  mountain,  you  will  find  a  great  city, 
from  whence  you  will  easily  be  able  to  reach  your 
home."  But  Zaher  would  not  wait  so  long.  He  set 
off  immediately,  and  wandered  farther  and  farther 
from  the  right  path  until,  when  morning  broke,  he 
found  himself  among  fearful  cliffs  and  precipices, 
where  he  could  penetrate  no  farther.  He  then  fell 
on  his  face,  and  prayed  to  God  who  had  so  often 
preserved  him :  "  O  God,  who  hast  delivered  me  from 
the  hands  of  the  unbelieving  genii,  if  my  life  is  at 
an  end,  hasten  my  death,  and  let  me  not  wander  any 
longer  among  these  barren  mountains  ;  but  if  Thy 
mercy  grants  me  a  longer  life,  then  show  me  a  way 
of  deliverance,  for  there  is  neither  a  blade  of  grass 
nor  a  drop  of  water  to  be  seen  here."  When  he 
raised  his  head,  he  saw  two  sleek  foxes  near,  which 
convinced  him  that  there  must  be  some  fertile  district 
in  the  neighbourhood.  He  followed  the  foxes  over 
the  rocks  till  they  disappeared  in  a  cavern.  Here 
Zaher  found  a  flight  of  stairs  hewn  in  the  rock  ;  and 
as  he  descended,  he  soon  lost  sight  of  the  opening 
through  which  he  had  entered.  Although  he  was 
now  in  total  darkness,  the  stairs  were  so  broad  that 
he  was  able  to  advance  in  perfect  safety,  and  he  soon 
saw  daylight  shining  through  an  opening  in  the 
opposite  direction  to  that  in  which  he  had  entered. 
When  he  emerged  from  the  cavern  he  found  himself 


32  New  Arabian  Nights. 

overlooking   the   sea,    and    in  the  midst  of  a   most 
beautiful  and  fertile  country. 

After  refreshing  himself  with  fruit  and  water,  both 
of  which  were  abundant  here,  he  went  up  to  a  copper 
statue  which  he  saw  near  him,  which  stood  on  a 
marble  pedestal  sixty  feet  in  height.  The  right  hand 
of  the  statue  was  extended,  and  held  a  gold  tablet 
bearing  the  following  inscription:  "In  the  name  of  the 
most  merciful  God!  If  any  wanderer  should  read 
this,  let  him  know  that  he  is  at  the  extreme  limits  of 
the  habitable  world  ;  here  begins  the  region  of  the 
genii.  This  oceanic  island  is  the  base  of  one  of  the 
highest  mountains  in  the  world,  except  Mount  Kaf. 
When  Solomon,  the  son  of  David  (on  both  of  whom 
be  peace !),  was  travelling  through  the  world,  and 
observed  that  the  summit  of  this  mountain  was  so 
barren  and  desolate,  and  its  lower  slopes  so  fertile 
and  beautiful,  he  said  to  his  attendant  genii,  '  Would 
that  there  were  a  path  through  this  mountain,  so 
that  if  a  man  lost  his  way  in  this  desolate  region,  he 
might  not  perish  with  hunger  and  thirst ! '  One  of 
the  genii  replied,  '  O  Prophet  of  God,  all  mountains 
have  branches  and  hollow  cavities  like  trees  ;  and 
this  mountain  like  others  has  a  great  cavity  which 
extends  from  the  summit  to  this  island.  At  thy 
command,  I  will  enlarge  it,  and  make  it  a  convenient 
path.'  Solomon  consented,  and  the  work  was  exe- 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  Son.    33 

cuted  ;  and  he  also  caused  a  large  harbour  to  be 
constructed  in  the  neighbourhood,  where  ships  may 
anchor  in  safety  during  the  most  violent  storms." 

When  Zaher  read  this,  he  went  on  his  way  to  the 
harbour  rejoicing;  for  he  reflected  that  the  genii  would 
never  have  built  the  harbour  unless  ships  sometimes 
visited  the  neighbourhood.  He  had  not  long  to  wait 
before  a  ship  with  sails  like  the  wings  of  a  great  bird 
drew  near,  and  dropped  anchor;  and  the  sailors  landed. 
But  they  were  startled  at  the  sight  of  Zaher,  whose 
long  hair,  beard,  and  nails  made  him  look  more  like  a 
wild  beast  than  a  man.  At  last  one,  more  courageous 
than  the  rest,  observing  that  his  feet  were  of  human 
shape,  took  his  sword  in  his  hand,  and  went  boldly  up 
to  Zaher,  saying,  "If  you  are  a  genius,  I  command 
you  to  depart  in  the  name  of  God  ;  but  if  you  are  a 
man,  then  peace  be  with  you."  Zaher  returned  his 
salutation,  saying,  "  Why  should  you  fear  me  ?  I  am 
a  man  of  Damascus."  "  Enter  the  ship,  then,"  said 
the  captain,  "and  tell  us  what  brought  you  here." 
After  hearing  Zaher's  story,  the  merchants  told  him 
that  he  might  return  to  Syria  with  them,  for  they  had 
been  driven  out  of  the  Mediterranean  into  the  ocean 
as  they  were  trying  to  sail  from  the  west  towards 
Latakia.  They  provided  Zaher  with  everything 
needful,  and  he  rewarded  them  liberally  from  the 
purse  that  King  Amrad  had  given  him.  They 


34  New  Arabian  Nights. 

reached  Latakia  without  any  serious  accident,  and 
after  amusing  himself  there  for  a  short  time,  Zaher 
returned  to  his  friends  and  relatives  at  Damascus, 
who  received  him  with  the  greatest  joy. 

In  the  meantime  Princess  Farha  had  given  birth  to 
a  son,  whom  she  named  Ali,  and  reared  with  the 
utmost  care.  The  king,  his  grandfather,  who  loved 
him  as  if  he  had  been  his  own  son,  chose  the  best 
masters  to  teach  him  reading,  writing,  philosophy, 
history,  and  astronomy.  When  Ali  was  still  quite 
young,  he  could  not  fail  to  observe  the  deep  distress 
of  his  mother,  who  would  often  embrace  him  ten 
derly,  look  him  in  the  face,  and  say  with  tears  in  her 
eyes,  "  You  remind  me  too  much  of  your  father  "  , 
but  when  Ali  asked  who  was  his  father,  she  always 
evaded  the  question. 

Ali  was  one  day  beating  a  slave  of  his  mother's, 
whom  he  always  hated,  and  was  scolding  him  for 
not  getting  out  of  his  way  when  he  saw  him  coming, 
when  the  slave  cried  out,  "  I  am  only  a  black  slave, 
as  you  say,  but  every  one  knows  my  parents,  who 
were  slaves  like  myself.  But  do  you  know  that  your 
father  was  a  fellow  who  was  drawn  up  out  of  the  sea, 
and  whom  nobody  knew  ?  May  it  be  your  fate  to 
wander  comfortless  among  strange  people  who  have 
as  little  compassion  on  you  as  you  have  shown  for 
me."  At  this  the  slave  fled  from  Ali,  who  pursued 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  Son.  35 

him  with  his  drawn  sword,  but  could  not  overtake 
him,  or  discover  whether  he  had  sunk  into  the  earth 
or  ascended  to  heaven. 

Ali  then  went  to  his  mother,  who  received  him  with 
joy,  but  he  remained  gloomy  and  thoughtful,  and  at 
last  exclaimed,  "  I  cannot  live  longer,  without  know 
ing  who  was  my  father,  and  if  you  will  not  tell  me, 
I  will  slay  both  you  and  myself  with  this  sword,  for 
I  have  heard  a  saying  which  has  turned  my  hair 
grey." 

The  princess  wept,  and  being  unable  to  keep  her 
secret  any  longer,  she  answered,  "My  son,  your  father 
was  one  of  the  best  and  noblest  of  his  people.  Sheath 
your  sword,  and  calm  yourself,  and  I  will  tell  you 
everything.''  She  then  related  all  she  knew,  up  to 
the  time  when  Zaher  sought  the  protection  of  King 
Amrad,  adding,  "  Since  that  time  I  have  never  been 
able  to  obtain  any  tidings  of  him,  for  King  Amrad  is 
more  powerful  than  I  am,  and  will  not  permit  any  of 
the  genii  to  come  near  him.  I  have  nothing  of  his 
but  a  seal  ring,  which  he  exchanged  with  me  for  a 
bracelet  on  our  wedding  evening." 

When  AH  heard  the  story  he  answered,  "  If  such 
be  the  case,  there  is  nothing  left  but  for  me  to  go  in 
search  of  my  father.  Let  me  go  to  Syria  imme 
diately." 

But  Farha  said,  "My  son,  I  cannot  bear  to  separate 


36  New  Arabian  Nights. 

from  you,  and  I  fear  lest  some  misfortune  may 
happen  to  you  on  so  long  a  journey." 

Ali  was  angry  at  her  refusal  to  let  him  go,  though 
he  was  glad  to  have  heard  something  of  his  father. 
He  had  not  left  his  mother's  room  long  before  his 
grandfather,  King  Mutar,  sent  for  him,  and  peremp 
torily  forbade  him  to  think  of  his  proposed  voyage. 
He  then  returned  to  his  mother,  saying,  "Could  you 
not  see  that  I  was  only  jesting  ?  I  have  never  seen 
more  of  the  world  than  this  castle  ;  and  how  should 
I  venture  on  a  journey  to  Damascus  alone  ?  I  only 
wish  to  wear  my  father's  seal-ring  as  a  remembrance 
of  him." 

"Ask  anything  that  I  possess,  my  son,"  re 
turned  Farha,  and  gave  him  the  ring.  But  Ali 
went  immediately  to  a  friend  of  his,  named  Zaher, 
like  his  father,  and  told  him  all  that  had  happened, 
adding,  that  he  would  never  rest  until  he  had  found 
his  father.  Zaher  agreed  to  accompany  him,  and 
they  went  to  the  port  together  and  engaged  a  vessel 
secretly.  Ali  then  sent  Zaher  on  board  with  some 
clothes,  and  a  purse  of  gold  and  jewels  which  he  had 
obtained  from  his  mother ;  and  on  the  following 
evening  they  set  sail.  For  the  first  two  days  the 
wind  continued  favourable,  but  on  the  third  day  it 
gradually  died  away,  till  there  was  a  complete  calm, 
and  the  vessel  lay  as  motionless  as  in  the  calmest 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  Son.  37 

land-locked  haven.  The  captain  was  greatly  alarmed, 
and  said  to  the  crew,  "  Be  on  your  guard  against  the 
terrible  marine  monsters  which  abound  in  these  seas, 
and  which  sometimes  climb  on  board  a  vessel,  and 
devour  the  crew.  Station  youselves  round  the  ship, 


sword  in  hand,  and  drive  them  back."  On  the  follow 
ing  night,  while  half  the  crew  were  sleeping,  those  on 
watch  saw  something  like  a  great  mountain  approach 
ing  the  ship,  and  the  captain  exclaimed,  "  We  are 
lost,  for  neither  sword  nor  lance  can  pierce  the  skin 
of  this  monster.  If  they  find  one  of  them  dead  they 


38  New  Arabian  Nights. 

make  shields  of  his  hide."  In  the  meantime  Zaher 
and  the  others  drew  their  swords,  and  attempted  to 
terrify  the  animal  by  their  shouts  and  gestures.  They 
thought  at  first  that  they  had  succeeded  in  driving  it 
off;  but  it  returned  immediately  with  more  than  two 
hundred  of  the  same  kind,  whereupon  they  took  leave 
of  each  other,  and  commended  themselves  to  God, 
being  convinced  that  their  last  day  on  earth  had 
arrived.  The  animals  surrounded  the  ship,  and  were 
on  the  point  of  leaping  on  board,  when  a  strong  wind 
suddenly  arose,  and  carried  the  ship  beyond  their 
reach.  All  on  board  were  amazed  at  their  unhoped 
for  escape,  and  the  captain  actually  tossed  up  his 
turban  for  joy.  The  next  thirty  days  passed  very 
pleasantly.  The  wind  was  favourable,  and  some 
sang,  while  others  composed  poetry  or  told  tales. 
But  after  this  a  black  spot  appeared  in  the  heavens, 
no  bigger  than  a  drachma,  and  the  air  became  pierc 
ingly  cold.  The  black  point  extended  till  it  covered 
the  heavens,  so  that  they  thought  the  last  day  had 
arrived,  when  a  terrific  storm  of  thunder  and  Light 
ning  broke  over  the  vessel,  and  the  rain  poured  down 
as  if  from  a  waterspout,  while  the  boiling  sea  drove 
the  ship  round  and  round  in  eddies.  All  were  now 
busy  in  baling  out  the  ship,  when  they  were  driven 
from  the  deck  by  a  terrific  fall  of  hail,  and  four  waves, 
like  mountains,  overwhelmed  the  ship  from  different 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  Son.  39 

sides,  crushed  it  to  atoms,  and  everything  sank  into 
the  abyss  of  the  sea.  But  AH  contrived  to  grasp  a 
sack  of  a  peculiar  kind  of  flour,  which  has  the 
property  of  floating  on  the  surface  of  the  water  for  a 
period  of  forty  days,  and  was  driven  about  for  two 
days  and  two  nights,  sometimes  being  lifted  up  to 
the  stars,  and  sometimes  engulfed  in  the  abysses  of 
the  sea.  On  the  third  day,  he  was  so  exhausted 
with  hunger  and  thirst  and  cold,  that  he  could  no 
longer  retain  his  hold  of  the  sack.  Nevertheless  he 
kept  himself  afloat  till  evening,  and  was  just  on  the 
point  of  ceasing  his  struggles  and  allowing  himself  to 
sink,  when  he  saw  something  like  a  great  fire  in  the 
sea.  Ali  made  fresh  efforts  to  reach  it,  and  he 
presently  perceived  that  it  was  not  a  fire,  but  a  large 
golden  castle,  borne  by  four  giant  genii,  and  so 
brilliantly  lighted,  and  set  with  such  a  profusion  of 
dazzling  jewels  that  it  shone  like  the  noonday  sun. 
As  Ali  approached,  he  heard  some  cry  out,  "  Help 
this  unfortunate  man  ! "  and  immediately  a  genius 
flew  from  the  castle  and  carried  Ali  to  it. 

Ali  immediately  fainted,  and  did  not  recover  his 
consciousness  till  the  following  morning,  when  he 
found  himself  lying  on  a  bed  covered  with  red  satin, 
a  gold-embroidered  silken  robe  was  placed  by  his 
side,  and  a  pan  of  charcoal  stood  on  the  marble  floor, 
which  emitted  the  fragrant  odour  of  aloes.  A  table 


40  New  Arabian  Nights. 

stood  near,  covered  with  the  choicest  viands.  As  soon 
as  Ali  rose  up,  two  servants  who  were  standing  at 
the  door  came  forward,  washed  him  with  rose  water, 
and  helped  him  to  dress.  Ali,  who  was  almost 
starved,  then  sat  down  at  the  table  and  ate  till  he 
was  satisfied,  when  the  servants  brought  him  all 
kinds  of  fruits,  and  sweetmeats,  and  then  water,  with 
perfumed  soap.  Afterwards  four  maidens,  resembling 
moons,  entered,  and  inquired  who  he  was  ;  and  when 
they  had  heard  his  story,  one  of  them  observed, 
"  Thank  the  Creator,  who  has  sent  you  here,  where 
there  is  nothing  but  peace  and  joy."  Ali  then  asked 
where  he  was,  and  why  this  castle  had  been  built  in 
the  midst  of  the  sea ;  and  the  maiden  related  as 
follows  : 

"  Know,  my  friend,  that  you  are  now  on  the  great 
ocean  which  flows  round  the  whole  world,  and  from 
which  all  other  seas  spring.  But  this  sea  is  also 
inhabited,  and  there  is  a  round  island  near  us,  which 
lies  between  two  immense  mountains.  On  their 
summits  rise  castles  with  golden  walls,  which  shine 
in  the  sunlight  like  stars.  On  this  island  grows  the 
best  aloes-wood  ;  and  there  is  a  spring  of  dark  blue 
perfumed  water,  which  contains  fish  of  many  different 
colours,  without  bones,  but  with  golden  yellow  eyes, 
and  sharp- pointed  ears,  with  which  they  could  break 
the  hardest  rock.  Sometimes  a  thick  scum  gathers 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  SOJL.  41 

on  this  spring-,  which  is  driven  into  the  Blue  Sea  by 
the  wind  blowing  from  the  mountains.  Here  the 
merchants  collect  it,  and  call  it  ambergris.  The 
town  which  stands  upon  this  island  surpasses  all  the 
other  cities  of  the  world  in  wealth  and  magnificence, 
and  is  called  Asaf  (Alas),  for  every  traveller  who 
beholds  it  exclaims,  '  Alas,  how  poor  is  the  rest  of 
the  world  in  comparison  ! '  The  city  is  surrounded 
with  walls  of  gold,  and  the  battlements  are  of  ruby. 
The  horsemen  who  guard  it  are  armed  with  long 
silver  lances,  pointed  with  emerald.  In  the  middle 
of  the  city  is  a  castle,  ornamented  within  and  without 
with  the  most  precious  jewels.  Among  other  wonder 
ful  things,  it  contains  a  square  hall,  supported  by  four 
golden  pillars  ;  and  in  the  midst,  a  fountain  of  red 
coral  sheds  a  sea  of  perfume  around.  Many  golden 
cages,  with  silver  locks  and  emerald  keys,  hang  in 
this  hall,  and  the  birds  warble  continually  in  the 
sweetest  tones.  At  the  end  of  this  hall  stands  a 
throne  covered  with  green  silk,  on  which  sits  the 
most  beautiful  maiden  whom  .the  Lord  has  created, 
the  powerful  Queen  Turaia,  daughter  of  King  Farkad, 
surrounded  by  men  and  genii. 

"  But  there  is  another  island  near,  still  larger,  and 
very  populous,  where  King  Canas  rules.  He  has  a 
daughter  called  the  Blue  Queen,  who  is  amazingly 
proficient  in  magic.  She  is  very  fond  of  conversing 


42  New  Arabian  Nights. 


with  foreigners,  and  has  stationed  spies  everywhere  on 
the  borders  of  her  dominions,  who  give  her  immediate 
notice  of  the  arrival  of  any  stranger.  She  then  sends 
one  of  her  genii  to  bring  him  to  her  presence,  and 
she  gives  him  a  very  friendly  reception,  and  talks 
with  him  till  she  is  tired  of  him,  and  then  she  either 
puts  him  to  death,  or  changes  him  into  some  animal 
or  bird  by  enchantment.  In  order  to  save  as  many 
unfortunate  travellers  as  possible  from  falling  into 
her  hands,  Queen  Turaia  has  built  this  castle  on  the 
frontiers  of  her  empire,  and  God  be  praised  that  you 
have  been  saved  in  this  manner  !  " 

The  slave  girls  then  took  Ali  in  a  boat  to  the 
city,  and  brought  him  to  the  palace  appointed  for 
strangers,  which  was  so  magnificently  built  and 
furnished  that  it  was  fit  for  the  habitation  of  the 
most  powerful  king  in  the  world.  It  was  dark  when 
they  arrived,  and  the  interior  was  lit  up  with  in 
numerable  tapers  and  fires  of  aloes  wood ;  and  a 
table  covered  with  the  choicest  viands  stood  in  front 
of  a  very  convenient  and  beautifully  decorated  divan. 
The  slave  girls  waited  on  Ali  while  he  ate,  after 
which  they  retired,  and  he  lay  down  on  the  divan, 
and  slept  soundly  all  rtight.  On  waking  in  the 
morning,  he  saw  a  beautiful  maiden,  in  a  gold- 
embroidered  robe  set  with  pearls,  sitting  near,  and 
asked  her  if  she  was  Queen  Turaia  ? 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  Son.  43 

"  How  can  you  ask  such  a  question  ? "  she  replied. 
"  I  am  the  meanest  of  her  slaves,  and  await  your 
orders,  for  I  am  in  charge  of  this  apartment.  Queen 
Turaia  never  comes  here  herself,  but  after  three  days 
she  will  send  for  you,  and  inquire  into  your  birth 
and  circumstances,  and  will  treat  you  according  to 
your  rank.  But  beware  of  concealing  anything  from 
her,  for  the  genii  inform  her  of  everything  before 
hand,  and  if  you  lie  to  her,  you  are  lost." 

But  at  this  moment  four  hundred  pages  entered, 
clothed  in  satin,  with  golden  girdles  round  their 
waists,  and  drawn  swords  in  their  hands.  The  fore 
most  saluted  Ali  respectfully,  and  said,  "  My  lord, 
Queen  Turaia  has  sent  us  to  conduct  you  to  her 
presence." 

The  slave  girl  was  astonished,  for  she  had  never 
known  the  queen  send  for  a  stranger  till  three  days 
after  his  arrival,  and  again  cautioned  Ali  respecting 
his  behaviour  at  court. 

Ali  then  left  the  palace  with  the  pages,  who 
brought  him  a  mule,  the  trappings  of  which  were 
worth  a  kingdom,  and  conducted  him  to  the  castle 
through  seven  courtyards,  each  guarded  by  thousands 
of  genii.  When  Ali  entered  the  hall  of  audience,  the 
queen  welcomed  him,  and  all  the  viziers  and  generals 
rose  up  to  receive  him.  After  Ali  had  returned  her 
salutation,  and  prayed  for  the  continuance  of  her  life 


44  New  Arabian  Nights. 

and  prosperity,  the  queen  said,  "  I  know  who  you 
are,  and  know  your  mother  very  well,  and  it  is  on 
this  account  that  I  desired  to  see  you.  Tell  me  first 
what  has  happened  to  you  since  you  left  home." 

After  hearing  his  story,  she  welcomed  AH  still 
more  heartily,  and  said,  "  Look  upon  my  empire  and 
people  as  your  own."  Then  she  rose  up,  took  the 
hand  of  AH,  and  led  him  to  her  father's  castle. 

"  Why  do  you  visit  me  so  late  to-day,  dear 
daughter  ? "  said  the  king. 

And  she  answered,  "  The  youth  whom  you  behold 
is  the  cause  of  my  unusual  delay." 

The  king,  who  saw  that  his  daughter  took  an 
unusual  interest  in  AH,  made  him  sit  by  him,  and 
eat  with  him.  Queen  Turaia  helped  him  to  the 
best,  and  he  tucked  up  his  sleeves,  and  ate  with 
the  tips  of  his  fingers  till  he  was  satisfied.  After 
they  had  eaten,  and  washed  their  hands  in  golden 
basins  with  rose-water  and  scented  soap,  fresh  and 
dried  fruits,  with  wine  and  sweetmeats,  were  placed 
on  the  table,  and  presently  the  king  ordered  the 
singing-girls  to  be  summoned.  Upon  this,  a  hundred 
gorgeously  dressed  young  girls  entered,  each  of 
whom  carried  a  gold-embroidered  satin  bag  in  her 
hand,  with  green  silk  strings,  and  a  diamond  key. 
They  ranged  themselves  round  the  hall,  took  out 
their  instruments,  and  began  to  play  and  sing,  so 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  Son.  45 

that  the  whole  hall  seemed  to  shake.  This  lasted 
for  some  hours,  and  when  they  were  alone  again,  the 
queen  asked  AH  if  he  would  be  her  husband.  And 
Ali,  who  had  fallen  in  love  with  her  at  first  sight, 
answered  that  it  was  the  dearest  wish  of  his  heart. 

After  King  Farkad  had  consented  to  the  marriage, 
and  blessed  the  betrothed  pair,  they  returned  to  the 
queen's  castle,  when  Turaia  took  a  sword  and  a  loaf 
of  bread,  and  a  Koran,  and  swore  never  to  take 
another  husband  than  Ali,  whether  present  or  absent, 
or  alive  or  dead  ;  and  she  required  Ali  to  take  the 
same  oath  with  regard  to  her. 

On  the  following  morning,  the  queen  left  Ali  to 
visit  her  father,  warning  him  not  to  quit  the  castle 
till  her  return.  When  she  was  gone,  he  wandered 
from  one  room  to  another,  until  he  arrived  at  the 
terrace,  which  commanded  a  delightful  view  of  the 
entire  city,  and  the  sea  beyond.  He  was  about  to 
return  when  a  large  bird  pounced  upon  him,  bore 
him  to  the  clouds  in  its  talons,  and  flew  with  him  all 
day.  Towards  evening,  it  descended  with  him  upon 
a  very  fertile  and  thickly  populated  island,  and 
changed  into  a  handsome  young  man,  in  royal  ap 
parel.  Ali  was  astonished,  and  asked  him  what 
creature  he  was  ?  and  he  answered,  "  I  am  a  man 
like  you.  I  am  Tarad,  the  son  of  Anan,  the  King  of 
the  Smoking  Mountain  ;  and  if  you  will  come  with 


46  New  Arabian  Nights. 

me,  I  will  tell  you  my  whole  history."  He  then  led 
Ali  to  a  castle,  before  the  doors  of  which  stood 
attendants  with  golden  staves,  and  pages  with  Indian 
swords,  who  all  bowed  themselves  before  the  prince. 
They  sat  down  together  on  a  divan  in  one  of  the 
large  rooms  of  the  castle,  and  Tarad  related  his 
history  as  follows  : — 

"  Know,  my  friend,  that  my  father,  the  powerful 
King  Anan,  has  twelve  sons  besides  myself,  each  of 
whom  rules  over  a  mighty  kingdom.  But  I  was 
always  my  father's  favourite  from  my  youth,  and  my 
brothers  envied  and  hated  me.  As  my  father  was 
afraid  lest  my  brothers  might  do  me  some  injury  in 
his  absence,  he  sent  for  one  of  the  kings  of  the  genii, 
named  Danish,  who  was  subject  to  him,  and  who 
ruled  over  a  vast  company  of  powerful  genii,  and 
said,  '  After  this  day  you  are  not  to  serve  me  any 
longer,  but  my  son  Tarad.  Fulfil  all  his  commands, 
even  if  he  should  order  you  to  tear  up  a  mountain, 
or  to  dry  up  a  sea  ;  and  protect  him  from  the  evil 
designs  of  his  brothers.'  As  I  was  now  relieved  from 
all  trouble  and  anxiety  by  the  guardianship  of  the 
genii,  I  gave  myself  up  entirely  to  the  study  of 
magic,  of  which  I  had  always  been  exceedingly  fond. 
I  made  such  progress  that  I  thought  I  was  able  to 
contend  with  the  most  skilful  enchanters.  When  I 
had  grown  to  manhood,  I  called  Dahish,  and  said, 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  Son.  47 

*  I  do  not  care  to  live  alone  any  longer,  but  wish  to 
marry.  But  I  will  marry  no  one  but  Turaia,  the 
Queen  of  the  Island  of  Musk  ;  for,  according  to  all 
that  I  have  heard  and  read,  she  surpasses  all  other 
women  in  beauty,  power,  wisdom,  and  learning. 
Go  to  her  from  me,  and  say,  "  King  Tarad,  the  son 
of  King  Anan,  the  Lord  of  the  Smoking  Moun 
tain,  offers  you  his  hand.  If  you  consent,  you  shall 
be  the  happiest  queen  in  the  world  ;  but  if  you 
refuse,  he  will  lead  armies  of  men  and  genii  against 
you,  who  will  ravage  your  country,  and  make  you  a 
prisoner."  ' 

"  But  Dahish  answered, '  Do  you  not  know,  great 
king,  that  Turaia  is  so  powerful  that  she  could 
overturn  Mount  Kaf  ?  All  the  kings  of  this  sea  are 
her  allies,  and  even  Abu  Tawaif  fears  and  obeys  her. 
How  is  it  possible  for  me  to  insult  her  with  such  a 
message  ? ' 

"  But  I  answered  angrily,  '  Do  what  I  command 
you.  I  am  not  afraid  of  her  magic  arts ;  never 
theless  you  had  better  take  a  thousand  of  the  most 
powerful  genii  with  you  as  a  bodyguard,  and  return 
to  me  with  her  answer.' 

"Dahish  refused  no  longer,  and  immediately  flew 
to  the  Island  of  Musk  with  his  attendants.  When 
Queen  Turaia  heard  of  their  arrival,  she  sent  one  of 
her  attendant  genii  to  inquire  their  business.  The 


48  New  Arabian  Nights. 

genius  flew  to  Dahish,  and  saluted  him,  but  Danish 
did  not  return  his  greeting,  on  which  the  envoy 
concluded  that  the  strangers  must  be  infidels.  One 
of  them  then  asked  rudely,  '  What  do  you  want 
here?'  The  genius  answered,  'I  am  an  envoy  sent 
by  the  great  Queen  Turaia  to  inquire  who  your  are, 
and  what  is  your  business?'  Dahish  then  said,  '  I 
have  come  in  the  name  of  King  Tarad  with  an  offer 
of  marriage  to  Queen  Turaia.'  When  the  messenger 
returned  to  the  queen,  she  sent  him  back  to  invite 
Dahish  to  visit  her  alone  in  her  castle,  to  deliver  his 
message  more  fully. 

"  But  when  Dahish  received  the  message,  he  was 
enraged,  and  cried  out,  *  You  dog,  how  dare  you 
bring  me  such  a  message  ?  Who  is  your  mistress, 
that  I  should  go  to  her  castle  unattended,  instead  of 
her  coming  out  to  receive  me  herself?'  Upon  this, 
he  drew  his  sword,  slew  the  envoy,  and  then  inarched 
against  the  castle  with  his  troops. 

"  Dahish  already  made  certain  of  victory,  when 
Queen  Turaia  came  to  meet  him,  and  cast  him  to 
the  ground  by  calling  on  the  sacred  name  of  God. 
Her  genii  now  assembled  round  her  by  thousands, 
and  many  of  the  attendants  of  Dahish  were  burned, 
and  the  others  taken  prisoners,  and  put  in  chains. 
The  queen  then  seated  herself  on  her  throne,  and 
ordered  Dahish  to  be  brought  before  her.  He  came 


The  Adventures  of  Z ether  and  Jiis  Son.  49 

forward  in  his  chains,  trembling,  and  abasing  himself 
in  the  dust,  when  she  exclaimed  '  Woe  to  you,  why 
did  you  slay  my  envoy  ?  Nevertheless,  let  me  hear 
your  message.' 

" '  Pardon  me,  O  queen/  cried  Dahish  in  a  trem 
bling  voice  ;  '  Tarad,  the  son  of  Anan,  the  King  of 
the  Smoking  Mountain,  sent  me  here  to  ask  if  you 
would  deign  to  grant  him  your  hand.' 

" '  What  more  ? '  asked  Turaia. 

"  Dahish  bowed  his  head  to  the  ground,  but  made 
no  answer. 

" '  Did  he  say  no  more  ? '  asked  Turaia  again,  and 
as  Dahish  still  refused  to  speak,  she  ordered  his  head 
to  be  struck  off,  and  all  his  followers  to  be  put  to 
death.  As  soon  as  this  was  done,  she  summoned 
Kharoob,  one  of  her  officers,  and  said,  'Bring 
Tarad,  the  son  of  King  Anan,  here.' 

"Kharoob  immediately  assumed  the  form  of  a 
monstrous  bird,  carried  me  away  from  my  tower, 
and  brought  me  before  Queen  Turaia. 

"  '  Welcome  to  my  bridegroom  ! '  said  she  ;  '  you 
shall  serve  as  a  warning  to  all  the  kings  of  these 
islands,  so  that  no  one  shall  dare  even  to  mention 
my  name  again !  '  She  then  said  to  one  of  her  genii, 
'  Cast  him  into  the  dungeon,  and  guard  him  well 
until  I  return  from  visiting  my  father,  King  Farkad, 
who  will  advise  me  how  to  treat  this  dog.' 


50  New  Arabian  Nights. 

"But  at  this  moment  King  Farkad  himself  entered, 
and  asked  his  daughter  what  had  hindered  her  from 
visiting  him  at  the  usual  hour,  and  why  she  seemed 
so  much  agitated.  When  she  told  him  the  story,  he 
exclaimed,  'May  God  ever  grant  you  the  victory  over 
all  your  enemies !  But  where  is  King  Tarad  ?  I 
should  like  to  see  him.'  When  Turaia  pointed  me 
out,  he  added,  '  Is  that  the  king  who  would  marry 
my  daughter  ?  Why,  he  is  trembling  like  an  old 
woman.' 

"  He  then  spurned  me  from  the  hall  with  his  foot, 
and  called  for  the  executioner.  I  had  already 
given  myself  up  for  lost,  when  one  of  the  king's 
officers  entered,  and  announced,  '  King  Anan,  with 
Abu  Tawaif  and  other  powerful  kings  of  the  genii, 
has  arrived  with  an  immense  army  to  rescue  King 
Tarad,  and  have  sent  an  envoy  who  waits  without.' 

" l  Show  him  in/  said  Farkad  ;  and  an  old  man 
entered  of  such  venerable  appearance  that  Farkad 
gave  him  a  friendly  reception,  made  him  sit  by  him, 
and  then  politely  inquired  his  business. 

"  The  old  man  replied,  '  I  am  a  messenger  from 
King  Anan,  who  will  soon  follow  me  in  company 
with  Abu  Tawaif,  to  beseech  your  pardon  for  his 
thoughtless  and  foolhardy  son,  whom  he  still  loves 
tenderly,  in  spite  of  all  his  faults.' 

"  Farkad  immediately  ordered  one  of  his  servants 


The  Adventiires  of  Zaher  and  his  Son.  5  i 

to  take  me  into  one  of  the  halls  of  the  palace,  and 
also  to  show  the  envoy  into  an  elegant  apartment, 
and  to  appoint  two  genii  to  wait  upon  him. 

"  When  he  was  alone  with  Turaia,  he  said,  *  My 
dear  daughter,  although  King  Tarad  is  well  worthy 
of  death,  yet  we  must  not  forget  that  he  is  a  king, 
and  the  son  of  a  powerful  king,  and  clemency  would 
only  exalt  us  still  more  in  the  eyes  of  our  equals  ; 
and,  moreover,  it  would  be  imprudent  for  us  to  in 
volve  ourselves  in  a  war  with  King  Anan  and  Abu 
Tawaif  on  account  of  a  headstrong  youth  ;  don't  you 
think  so  ? ' 

" '  I  agree  with  you,'  answered  Turaia  ;  *  but  we 
will  first  await  the  arrival  of  King  Anan,  and  see 
how  he  behaves  to  us.  If  he  acknowledges  his  son's 
guilt,  and  asks  for  pardon  for  him,  we  will  grant  it  ; 
but  if  he  threatens  us  with  violence,  we  will  stand 
upon  the  justice  of  our  cause.' 

"A  few  days  after  this  decision,  an  officer  of 
King  Farkad  entered,  and  announced  the  arrival  of 
King  Anan,  accompanied  by  Abu  Tawaif,  and  other 
kings  of  the  genii.  Farkad  and  Turaia  immediately 
mounted  their  horses,  and  rode  to  meet  them,  accom 
panied  by  an  escort  of  flying  genii,  whose  wings  were 
as  brightly  coloured  as  those  of  a  peacock.  They 
met  King  Anan  at  the  gate  of  the  city,  who  immedi 
ately  dismounted,  and  bowed  down  before  Farkad, 


52  New  Arabian  Nights. 

who  was  likewise  about  to  dismount,  but  King  Anan 
would  not  permit  it.  Turaia  declared  that  she  would 
not  suffer  King  Anan  to  walk,  and  at  last  he  al 
lowed  himself  to  be  persuaded  to  remount,  and  to 
ride  to  the  castle  between  Farkad  and  Turaia.  Every 
preparation  had  been  already  made  to  receive  Anan 
and  Abu  Tawaif,  and  a  banquet  was  set  before  them 
such  as  could  only  be  prepared  by  the  most  powerful 
kings  of  the  genii,  who  know  where  to  obtain  the 
best  of  everything  which  creeps,  and  runs,  and  swims, 
and  flies.  During  the  banquet  they  conversed  only 
on  indifferent  subjects,  and  it  was  not  until  the 
dessert  that  Abu  Tawaif  rose,  and  said, — 

"'The  great  King  Farkad  has  already  been  in 
formed  by  our  messenger  of  the  reason  which  has 
brought  King  Anan  here  ;  may  I  have  the  pleasure 
of  informing  the  anxious  father  that  his  son  will  be 
restored  to  him  ? ' 

"  Upon  this  Duha,  the  vizier  of  King  Farkad,  the 
most  able  man  of  his  time,  rose  up,  and  requested 
permission  to  speak.  This  being  granted  him,  he 
spoke  as  follows  : — 

" '  It  is  well  known  that  King  Farkad  is  one  of  the 
most  peaceably  disposed  rulers  of  these  islands ;  but 
Tarad  made  a  violent  attack  on  Queen  Turaia,  con 
trary  to  all  justice,  and  without  a  shadow  of  provoca 
tion.  He  himself  has  fallen  into  the  pit  which  he 


T/ie  Adventures  of  Zahcr  and  his  Son.  5  3 

dug  for  others.  He  is  now  the  prisoner  of  the  queen 
whom  he  thought  to  carry  off  by  violence ;  and, 
although  he  has  been  guilty  of  so  great  a  crime,  she 
would  nevertheless  be  willing  to  pardon  him  at  the 
request  of  his  father  and  the  venerable  Abu  Tawaif. 
But  who  will  be  our  security  that  this  foolhardy 
youth  may  not  attempt  to  revenge  himself  upon  the 
queen,  and  devise  new  plots  against  her,  as  soon  as 
he  is  set  at  liberty  ?  ' 

"Abu  Tawaif  rose  up,  and  answered,  'His  father 
and  I  will  both  be  security  for  his  good  behaviour,  and 
we  ourselves  will  undertake  to  chastise  him,  if  he  ever 
ventures  to  give  the  noble  Queen  Turaia  any  further 
annoyance.  Bring  him  here,  and  I  will  speak  to  him 
myself 

"  I  was  then  brought  from  my  room,  and  ushered 
into  the  hall  where  my  father,  Abu  Tawaif,  Farkad, 
Turaia,  D.iha,  and  several  other  viziers  and  kings  of 
the  genii  were  all  assembled.  I  bowed  my  head  to 
the  ground,  overwhelmed  with  remorse,  vexation, 
shame,  and  love,  and  would  have  preferred  a  thou 
sand  deaths.  I  looked  so  miserable  that  all  pitied 
me,  but  presently  Abu  Tawaif  spoke. 

"  *  Do  you  not  know,  perverse  boy,  that  good  is 
always  rewarded  'with  good,  and  that  it  is  best  for 
him  who  takes  the  initiative;  and  that  evil  is  likewise 
rewarded  with  evil,  which  falls  heaviest  on  the  evil- 


54  New  Arabian  Nights. 


doer  himself  ?  Did  you  think  so  little  of  Queen 
Turaia,  who  is  feared  and  respected  by  all,  as  to 
suppose  that  you  could  insult  her  so*grossly  with 
impunity  ?  But  as  you  are  only  a  presumptuous  boy, 
she  has  taken  compassion  on  ycu.  You  must,  how 
ever,  swear  in  our  presence,  never  to  annoy  her  again, 
nor  come  near  her  country,  nor  even  mention  her 
name,  for  our  honour  is  pledged  for  your  good 
behaviour.  Remember  that  the  invisible  God  is 
witness  to  your  oath,  and  that  if  you  break  it,  you 
are  lost  both  in  this  world  and  in  the  next ! ' 

"  Upon  this  I  swore  by  Him  who  raised  the  firma 
ment  like  a  tent,  and  spread  out  the  earth  like  a 
carpet,  and  who  clothed  the  day  with  light,  and  the 
night  with  darkness,  that  I  would  never  approach 
the  queen  again,  nor  pronounce  her  name.  I  had 
scarcely  uttered  this  terrible  oath  when  I  fainted,  and 
remained  insensible  all  night,  and  when  I  recovered 
my  senses  in  the  morning,  my  father  came  to  me, 
and  commanded  me  to  follow  him.  I  was  obliged 
to  return  with  him,  without  seeing  the  queen  again, 
and  during  the  whole  journey,  he  heaped  reproaches 
on  me  for  my  folly,  which  were  even  harder  to  bear 
than  the  loss  of  my  love.  When  he  left  me,  I  was 
again  compelled  to  swear  that  I  would  completely  for 
get  Turaia;  but  I  was  no  sooner  alone  than  I  thought 
the  more  of  Turaia's  charms,  which  surpassed  all 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  Son.  55 

that  I  had  heard  reported.  I  therefore  assumed  the 
form  of  a  bird,  and  flew  round  her  castle  every  day 
in  hopes  of  seeing  her  ;  and  when  I  saw  you  on  the 
terrace,  I  was  seized  with  the  desire  to  take  you  with 
me,  in  hopes  of  hearing  some  tidings  of  my  love.  I 
am  rery  anxious  to  know  how  you  arrived  at  Queen 
Turaia's  island,  and  what  brought  you  to  her  castle." 

When  AH  heard  this,  he  reflected  that  if  he 
said  he  was  Queen  Turaia's  husband,  the  rash  and 
unprincipled  youth  would  slay  him  out  of  jealousy, 
and  he  therefore  answered  that  he  was  the  son  of 
Queen  Farha,  the  friend  of  Queen  Turaia,  and  had 
come  to  pay  her  a  short  visit  at  his  mother's  request. 
But  when  Tarad  heard  this  he  said,  "  Woe  to  me  if 
Queen  Turaia  should  miss  you  and  discover  that  I 
carried  you  away !  She  would  certainly  send  to  my 
father  and  to  Abu  Tawaif,  and  denounce  me  as  a 
perjured  king,  and  not  only  my  honour,  but  even  my 
life  would  be  in  danger  !  It  will  be  better  for  me  to 
send  you  back,  and  I  implore  you  to  beseech  her 
pardon."  But  he  had  scarcely  spoken  when  an 
officer  entered  hastily  and  announced,  4<  A  messen 
ger  has  arrived  from  Queen  Turaia,  accompanied  by 
more  than  a  hundred  black  genii,  and  he  desires 
to  speak  with  you."  As  soon  as  Queen  Turaia's 
name  was  mentioned  Tarad  began  to  tremble  so 
much  that  he  was  hardly  able  to  stammer  out, 


56  New  Arabian  Nights. 

"  Show  him  in."  When  the  messenger  entered, 
Tarad  rose  up  before  him,  saluted  him  respectfully, 
and  inquired  what  message  he  brought.  The  envoy 
handed  him  a  sealed  letter,  which  he  opened  hastily, 
and  when  he  had  read  it  he  broke  out  into  reproaches 
against  Queen  Turaia  saying,  "  No  one  would  treat 
a  king  in  such  a  manner,  no  matter  how  grievously 
he  might  have  offended  !"  Ali  was  afraid  that  Tarad 
would  discover  his  secret,  so  he  took  this  opportunity 
to  escape  from  his  castle,  and  wandered  about  in  the 
island  without  knowing  which  way  to  turn.  Aftpr 
wandering  some  distance  from  the  castle  he  lay  down 
on  the  ground  in  despair.  He  thought  of  his  father, 
and  of  the  anxiety  which  his  mother  and  Turaia  must 
suffer  on  his  own  account ;  and  he  began  to  weep 
aloud,  and  to  cry  to  God  for  aid.  Presently  he  heard 
a  voice  above  him  saying,  "  Fear  not,  Ali,  for  help  is 
near."  On  lifting  his  eyes  he  perceived  a  genius  in  the 
form  of  a  great  bird,  whom  he  asked  to  rescue  him 
from  his  danger,  and  to  tell  him  to  what  race  of  genii 
he  belonged. 

The  bird  flew  towards  him  and  replied,  "  I  am  one 
of  the  genii  of  King  Tarad,  flying  from  the  slaughter 
to  which  we  were  exposed  by  the  wrath  of  Queen 
Turaia.  Soon  after  your  flight  from  the  castle  of 
King  Tarad  we  perceived  a  red  glow  in  the  atmo 
sphere,  which  increased  till  we  thought  that  the  whole 


Tke  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  ^on.  57 

heaven  was  wrapped  in  flames.  These  were  the 
flaming  armies  of  Queen  Turaia,  who  surrounded  the 
castle  like  a  cloud  of  locusts  or  a  swarm  of  ants,  and 
slew  or  made  prisoners  of  all  its  inhabitants.  The 
queen  herself,  who  was  at  their  head,  rushed  on 
Tarad  with  her  drawn  sword,  and  cried  out,  '  Where 
is  AH,  the  son  of  Queen  Farha  ? '  But  Tarad  swore 
that  he  did  not  know  what  had  become  of  him,  for  he 
had  not  seen  him  since  the  arrival  of  the  genii,  and 
supposed  that  he  had  hidden  himself  or  taken  to 
flight  from  terror.  But  Turaia  called  him  a  liar  and 
perjurer,  spurned  him  with  her  foot,  and  ordered  one 
of  her  officers  to  make  him  a  prisoner.  God  be 
praised  that  I  have  found  you !  I  will  take  you  back 
to  Queen  Turaia,  who  is  overwhelmed  with  anxiety 
about  you,  and  if  you  assure  her  that  Tarad  has  done 
you  no  harm,  she  will  no  doubt  pardon  him  again." 

"  Do  so,  friend,"  said  Ali,  "  and  Turaia,  Tarad,  and 
myself,  will  all  be  greatly  indebted  to  you." 

He  then  flew  up  with  Ali  to  within  a  hand's 
breadth  of  heaven,  and  descended  on  the  peak  of  a 
high  mountain,  where  he  shook  him  off,  and  assumed 
the  form  of  a  raven,  with  the  head  of  a  lion  and  the 
claws  of  an  eagle.  Torrents  of  fire  rushed  from  his 
mouth,  and  his  eyes,  which  were  cleft  in  the  middle, 
emitted  sparks ;  his  voice  sounded  like  thunder,  and 
a  suffocating  odour  spread  around  him.  "What 


58  New  Arabian  Nights. 


means  this  ?  "  cried  Ali ;  but  the  bird  struck  him  a 
heavy  blow  in  the  face  which  stunned  him,  and  when 
he  recovered,  he  found  himself  alone  on  the  summit 
of  a  lofty  mountain,  with  so  large  a  stone  resting 
on  his  breast  that  he  could  not  move  one  way  or 
the  other,  and  could  scarcely  breathe.  Ali  lay  thus 
for  the  whole  day,  and  was  forced  to  cover  his  face 
with  his  hands  to  protect  it  from  the  rays  of  the  sun. 
But  when  he  looked  up  towards  evening,  he  saw 
four  maidens  before  him,  whose  dress,  adornments, 
and  general  aspect  left  no  doubt  in  his  mind  that 
they  were  princesses.  Their  appearance  dazzled  him 
still  more  than  the  sun,  from  whose  rays  he  had 
previously  suffered,  and  he  closed  his  eyes  and  pre 
tended  to  sleep.  One  of  the  maidens  asked  presently, 
"  Who  is  this  handsome  youth,  and  who  has  brought 
him  to  the  top  of  this  mountain  and  laid  a  great 
stone  upon  him  ? "  Another  replied,  "  This  youth  is 
Ali,  the  son  of  Queen  Farha,  and  the  husband  of 
Queen  Turaia.  King  Sarech,  who  himself  passion 
ately  loves  Turaia,  has  left  Ali  here  to  perish  of 
hunger  and  thirst,  but  by  the  seal  of  Solomon  we  will 
save  him,  even  if  Sarech  were  as  powerful  as  Asaph, 
the  son  of  Barachia,  the  vizier  of  King  Solomon,  on 
whom  be  peace  ! " 

On  this,  the  maiden  went  up  to  Ali  and  lifted  the 
stone  from  his  breast.     He  opened  his  eyes,  and  as 


The  bird  struck  him  a  heavy  blow. 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  Son.  61 


soon  as  he  had  recovered  himself  a  little  he  thanked 
his  preserver,  and  asked  how  she  had  been  able  to 
climb  this  inaccessible  mountain,  and  who  she  was  ? 
She  answered,  "  My  name  is  Johara,  and  I  am  the 
daughter  of  the  Blue  Queen,  who  rules  over  the 
White  City.  The  other  three  maidens  are  my 
sisters.  Samarda  is  my  own  sister,  and  Marjana  and 
Yakuta  are  my  half-sisters.  No  land  is  too  distant, 
no  mountain  too  high,  and  no  sea  too  deep  for  us  to 
explore,  for  we  fly  like  birds  in  the  air,  and  dive  like 
fish  in  the  abysses  of  the  sea.  But  we  came  to  this 
mountain  only  on  your  account,  seeing  you  lying 
helpless  as  we  were  passing  by.  Come  with  us,  and 
refresh  yourself  a  little  after  all  that  you  have 
suffered,  and  afterwards  you  may  return  to  Queen 
Turaia." 

She  then  took  the  arm  of  Ali  and  flew  with  him 
like  lightning  to  a  majestic  city  lying  in  a  beautiful 
valley.  She  descended  on  the  terrace  of  a  castle,  and 
led  Ali  down  a  marble  staircase  to  a  hall  which  was 
as  large  and  splendid  as  that  of  Queen  Turaia. 
Night  had  already  fallen,  but  the  hall  was  more 
brilliantly  illuminated  than  if  the  sun  had  been 
shining.  Johara  presently  ordered  the  slave  girls 
who  were  in  attendance  to  prepare  supper,  and  they 
immediately  brought  in  some  elegant  little  tables  laid 
out  with  golden  dishes,  crystal  plates,  and  silver 


62  New  Arabian  Nights. 

spoons.  The  viands  were  quite  strange  to  Ali,  but 
he  thought  them  delicious  ;  and  after  supper  wine 
was  placed  on  the  table,  with  a  great  variety  of  fresh 
and  dried  fruits.  The  wine  was  poured  out  by  a 
hideous  old  housekeeper,  who  looked  like  a  speckled 
snake,  and  whose  name  was  Firusad.  After  this  she 
called  the  singing-girls,  who  came  in  and  accompanied 
themselves  on  all  manner  of  instruments. 

Presently  Johara  and  Samarda  began  to  talk  over 
the  adventures  of  the  day,  and  Samarda  claimed  to 
have  saved  Ali's  life  because  she  had  seen  him  first. 

"  No,  indeed,"  cried  Johara,  "  I  rolled  the  stone  off 
his  breast,  and  carried  him  here  ;  and  I  alone  saved 
his  life."  This  led  to  a  quarrel,  and  then  to  a  fight, 
and  in  the  meantime  the  other  sisters  warned  Ali  that 
he  had  better  escape  with  them,  lest  the  infuriated 
combatants  should  turn  upon  him.  As  soon  as  they 
were  in  the  open  air,  Marjana  took  him  on  her 
shoulders  and  flew  to  her  own  castle,  followed  by 
Yakuta. 

But  presently  the  old  woman,  Firusad,  arrived, 
and  informed  them  that  having  separated  Johara 
and  Samarda  with  difficulty,  and  reconciled  them  to 
each  other,  they  had  missed  Ali  and  their  sisters, 
and  were  about  to  lead  an  army  against  Marj ana's 
castle,  when  Firusad  persuaded  them  to  wait  while 
she  demanded  the  surrender  of  Ali,  whom  they 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  Son.   63 

would  not  permit  to  leave  them  without  saying 
adieu.  Both  Marjana  and  Yakuta  declared  that  they 
would  never  consent  to  his  return,  for  he  had 
thrown  himself  upon  their  protection,  and  bitterly 
reproached  the  old  woman  for  bringing  them  such  a 
message.  Firusad  excused  herself,  and  promised  to 
to  do  her  best  to  avert  a  war  ;  but  she  thought  that 
cunning  would  serve  her  purpose  best,  and  after 
acquainting  Johara  with  her  sister's  reply,  she  washed 
herself  with  the  decoction  of  a  root  which  made  her 
appear  like  a  born  negress.  Then  she  dressed  herself 
like  one  of  Marjana's  slaves  and  returned  to  her 
castle,  where  she  mixed  unperceived  with  the 
nepresses  who  were  in  attendance. 

o 

Soon  afterwards,  Ali  went  out  into  the  courtyard, 
when  she  followed  him,  and  muttered  a  spell,  upon 
which  a  frightful  genius  rose  from  the  ground,  whom 
she  ordered  to  carry  AH  to  Johara's  castle.  But  when 
Ali  was  half  way  between  the  two  castles,  he  cried 
out,  "  There  is  but  one  God,  and  Mohammed  is  His 
prophet !  "  The  genius  was  instantly  consumed  to 
ashes  by  a  fiery  dart,  and  Ali  fell  into  the  sea.  He 
sank  deep,  but  the  sea  was  so  rough  that  he  was  soon 
cast  up  to  the  surface,  and  was  able  to  keep  himself 
afloat  for  a  whole  day.  Towards  evening  he  was  so 
exhausted  that  he  could  scarcely  move  his  arms,  and 
he  was  about  to  sink  into  the  abyss  of  the  ocean, 


64  New  Arabian  Nights. 

where  neither  men  nor  genii  would  ever  have  found 
his  grave,  when  a  large  dead  fish  floated  past  upon 
which  he  scrambled,  and  was  thus  driven  along  by 
the  waves  for  the  first  portion  of  the  night.  But  about 
midnight,  sea-monsters  rose  from  the  deep,  many  of 
them  larger  than  an  elephant.  They  surrounded  the 
fish,  and  began  to  devour  it,  until  at  last  only  the  part 
on  which  AH  sat  was  left.  Ali  was  afraid  of  being 
eaten  too,  so  he  leaped  off,  and  swam  for  some  distance 
till  he  touched  something  hard,  to  which  he  clung 
till  morning,  when  he  found  he  was  clinging  to  a  rock, 
not  far  from  a  great  city,  and  a  fine  harbour  where 
ships  were  lying  at  anchor.  Ali  thanked  God  for  his 
deliverance,  and  hoped  that  some  one  would  see  him 
from  the  shore,  and  bring  him  to  land.  He  was  not 
mistaken,  for  a  fishing  boat  soon  left  the  harbour, 
sailed  towards  him,  and  took  him  on  board.  Ali 
thanked  the  fisherman,  and  asked  where  he  was  ? 
The  fisherman  answered,  "  This  is  the  White  City, 
which  is  also  called  the  Kingdom  of  Pillars,  because 
so  many  private  houses,  as  well  as  the  royal  castle, 
are  supported  by  pillars.  The  city  and  the  island  on 
which  it  stands  are  ruled  over  by  the  Blue  Queen. 
She  is  one  of  the  most  powerful  queens  in  the  world, 
and  rules  her  subjects  with  great  harshness,  but  is 
very  hospitable  to  strangers."  The  fisherman  then 
gave  Ali  a  piece  of  bread,  and  a  draught  of  fresh 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  Son.  65 

water;  and  they  sailed  about  together  all  day,  till  the 
boat  was  filled  with  beautiful  fish.  As  they  were  ap 
proaching  the  harbour  in  the  evening,  the  fisherman 
said,  "  I  must  take  the  fish  to  the  queen  to-morrow, 
for  I  am  her  favourite  fisherman,  and  will  tell  her  that 
a  young  foreigner,  whom  I  found  clinging  to  a  rock, 
helped  me  to  catch  them  ;  and  I  will  ask  leave  to  pre 
sent  you  to  her."  But  they  had  scarcely  landed,  when 
some  of  the  queen's  servants  came  up,  and  said  to  the 
fisherman,  "  Let  us  have  the  fish  which  you  have 
caught  at  once,  for  they  are  wanted  for  a  banquet 
to-night."  The  fisherman  handed  over  the  fish  to  the 
servants,  and  accompanied  them  to  the  queen,  to 
inform  her  of  his  meeting  with  Ali,  and  she  imme 
diately  commanded  him  to  bring  him  to  the  palace. 

When  Ali  entered  the  palace,  he  bowed  himself  to 
the  ground,  and  remained  standing,  but  the  queen 
received  him  in  a  friendly  manner,  and  invited  him 
to  sk  down.  Ali  replied  that  his  respect  for  the  queen 
would  not  allow  him  to  remain  seated  in  her  presence, 
whereupon  she  pretended  sickness,  and  excused  her 
self  to  all  her  other  guests.  When  she  was  alone  with 
Ali,  she  made  him  relate  his  adventures,  and  then 
said,  "  Poor  fellow,  you  have  suffered  enough  to  turn 
the  hair  of  a  child  white ;  but  be  of  good  cheer,  for 
you  are  now  in  a  house  of  peace  and  comfort."  After 
a  magnificent  supper,  Ali  was  shown  into  a  splendid 


66  New  Arabian  Nights. 


sleeping  apartment,  such  as  he  had  never  seen  in  his 
life.  He  lay  down  on  a  soft,  silken  divan,  and  slept 
soundly  till  the  sun  was  high  in  the  heavens  ;  and 
after  he  had  completed  his  ablutions  and  devotions, 
four  slaves  came  to  his  chamber,  and  said,  "Will  it 
please  our  lord  to  enter  the  bath."  Ali  rose  up,  and 
followed  them  into  a  splendid  bathroom,  and  after 
washing  him  till  his  skin  shone  like  silver,  they 
arrayed  him  in  a  magnificent  robe,  put  a  girdle  set 
with  jewels  round  his  waist,  and  placed  a  golden 
crown  on  his  head,  adorned  with  all  manner  of  pre 
cious  stones.  They  then  led  him  into  the  presence  of 
the  Blue  Queen,  who  made  him  sit  by  her  on  the 
divan,  and  asked  how  he  had  passed  the  night.  Ali 
kissed  her  hand,  saluted  her  and  the  viziers  who  were 
around  her,  and  thanked  her  for  her  kindness.  They 
sat  conversing  till  noon  ;  and  Ali  overheard  the  queen 
say  to  one  of  the  ladies  of  the  court,  "  I  have  never 
seen  such  a  handsome  young  man  in  my  life."  After 
the  midday  prayer  they  sat  down  to  table  ;  but  when 
the  wine  was  brought,  and  the  other  guests  had  de 
parted,  the  queen  confessed  her  love  to  Ali,  and  asked 
him  to  marry  her,  and  to  remain  with  her  for  ever. 
But  the  image  of  Tura'a  floated  before  his  eyes,  and 
he  remembered  the  g*-°at  oath  which  he  had  sworn 
to  her,  and  met  the  queen's  advances  with  coldness. 
She  was  highly  indignant,  and  exclaimed,  "What, 


68 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  Son.  69 

should  a  queen  like  myself  stoop  to  your  love,  and 
you  despise  her  !  "  Then  she  murmured  some  unin 
telligible  words,  and  thrust  AH  out  of  the  room, 
saying,  "  Quit  this  shape,  and  assume  that  of  a 
toothless  dog  of  miserable  appearance  !  "  When  Ali 
heard  the  words,  he  began  to  shake  and  tremble,  and 
instantly  found  himself  changed  into  an  ugly  toothless 
dog,  and  unable  to  speak  a  word.  He  then  ran  about 
the  streets,  but  the  other  dogs  perceived  something 
strange  in  him,  and  pursued  him,  barking  at  him,  and 
worrying  him,  and  driving  him  from  street  to  street, 
till  he  fled  at  last  into  a  small  passage  which  had  no 
outlet.  More  than  a  hundred  dogs  rushed  upon  him 
and  began  to  worry  him,  but  he  howled  so  pitifully 
that  a  woman  who  lived  in  the  lane  took  compassion 
on  him,  and  fetching  a  stick  drove  the  other  dogs 
away.  Then  she  looked  into  Ali's  eyes,  and  said, 
"  This  is  not  a  dog,  but  an  enchanted  man."  She 
then  took  him  by  the  ear,  and  led  him  into  the  house. 
The  woman's  name  was  Diarda,  and  she  was  more 
skilled  in  magic  than  even  the  Blue  Queen.  As  soon 
as  she  came  into  the  house,  she  ordered  her  slaves  to 
bring  her  a  pan  of  coals  and  a  bowl  of  water ;  and 
after  fumigating  and  sprinkling  Ali,  she  pronounced 
some  magic  words,  and  said,  "  By  virtue  of  these  holy 
names,  return  to  your  original  form ! "  She  had 
scarcely  spoken  when  Ali  became  a  man  as  before, 


70  New  Arabian  Nights. 

and  she  led  him  to  her  daughters,  who  covered  their 
faces  with  their  sleeves,  and  asked,  "  Where  does  this 
young  man  come  from,  for  the  house  door  is  closed  ? " 

"  I  found  him  in  the  street  in  the  shape  of  a  dog," 
said  Jarda,  "  and  we  will  take  him  to  the  queen  to 
morrow  ;  but  now  give  him  something  to  eat,  for  he 
must  be  very  hungry." 

The  daughters  then  spread  a  plentiful  meal,  and 
afterwards  Diarda  fetched  wine,  and  they  drank  to 
gether  for  a  time.  At  length  Ali  reflected  that  he 
was  in  just  as  much  danger  from  these  people  as  from 
the  queen,  since  they  proposed  to  take  him  back  to 
the  palace  in  the  morning.  He  therefore  made  the 
excuse  that  he  wished  for  a  little  fresh  air,  and  fled 
from  the  house.  He  wandered  about  the  town  for 
some  time,  until  he  found  a  convenient  stone  bench 
covered  with  a  mat,  in  front  of  a  handsome  house, 
and  he  laid  down  and  fell  asleep.  But  he  had  scarcely 
closed  his  eyes  when  he  was  roused  by  a  handsome 
young  man  of  aristocratic  appearance,  who  said, 
"Why  do  you  sleep  on  this  hard  bench  ?  Come  into 
the  house  with  me."  Ali  found  the  house  beautifully 
constructed,  and  elegantly  furnished  and  decorated  ; 
and  after  passing  through  many  large  halls  where 
fountains  were  playing,  they  arrived  in  a  small  and 
neatly  furnished  room,  where  the  young  man  made 
Ali  sit  by  him  on  a  silken  divan,  and  then  inquired 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  Son.  71 

into  his  history.  When  he  had  heard  all,  he  ex 
claimed,  "  Thank  God  that  you  have  escaped  from 
the  Blue  Queen,  and  from  the  yet  more  dangerous 
and  malicious  Diarda !  You  must  remain  concealed 
in  my  house  for  a  few  days,  for  I  am  expecting  some 
foreign  merchants  from  the  neighbourhood  of  the 
Smoking  Mountain.  They  will  perhaps  bring  us 
some  news  of  King  Anan  and  Queen  Turaia,  and 
we  shall  then  be  able  to  decide  on  what  is  best  to  be 
done." 

Ali  remained  three  days  with  this  young  man,  who 
treated  him  with  the  greatest  kindness  and  consider 
ation.  On  the  fourth  day  a  venerable  old  man 
arrived,  and  the  youth  gave  him  a  hearty  welcome, 
saying,  "  I  have  been  expecting  you  a  long  time, 
Maher,  and  your  wares  are  all  ready ;  what  has  de 
layed  you  ? " 

"  Our  whole  country  is  so  full  of  soldiers,"  replied 
Maher,  "that  travelling  is  very  dangerous.  King 
Anan  and  many  allies  are  marching  against  Queen 
Turaia,  who  will  not  release  his  son  Tarad,  until  she 
finds  her  husband,  a  certain  Ali,  the  son  of  Princess 
Farha." 

"  If  so,"  said  the  master  of  the  house,  "  go  quickly 
to  Queen  Turaia  with  this  young  man,  who  is  Ali 
himself.  Perhaps  you  may  arrive  in  time  to  avert  the 
impending  war." 


72  New  Arabian  Nights. 


"  I  will  set  out  early  to-morrow,"  replied  Maher. 

On  the  following  morning,  before  sunrise,  the 
young  man  presented  AH  with  a  purse  filled  with 
gold  and  jewels,  four  slaves,  two  mules  loaded  with 
provisions,  and  a  horse  whose  trappings  were  worth 
half  a  kingdom.  He  accompanied  AH  beyond  the 
limits  of  the  city,  where  Maher  was  waiting  for  them, 
with  a  numerous  company  of  mounted  men.  He  then 
again  commended  AH  to  Maher,  took  leave  of  them, 
and  returned  to  the  city.  AH  and  Maher  rode  on  for 
three  days  through  a  barren  and  desolate  country, 
but  on  the  fourth  day  they  reached  a  pleasant  valley, 
with  beautiful  flowers,  murmuring  brooks,  and  sing 
ing  birds.  AH  proposed  to  Maher  to  pitch  a  tent, 
and  to  rest  here  for  the  day.  He  immediately  dis 
mounted  from  his  mule,  and  ordered  his  servants 
to  pitch  a  large  silken  tent  by  the  side  of  a  stream, 
the  water  of  which  resembled  the  tears  of  a  despairing 
lover.  Here  they  spread  carpets  on  the  ground,  and 
arranged  divans  of  ostrich  feathers.  After  AH  had 
rested  awhile,  he  went  into  the  valley  to  praise  the 
Creator  of  the  World,  who  knows  both  the  number 
of  the  rain  drops  and  the  number  of  the  grains 
of  sand.  The  cooing  of  the  doves  sounded  like  the 
sighing  of  home-sick  wanderers,  and  the  branches 
of  the  trees  waved  towards  each  other  like  friends 
who  meet  after  a  long  absence.  All  nature  seemed 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  Son.  73 

alive,  and  everything  was  so  delightful  that  AH 
wandered  on  without  knowing  where,  till  he  was 
surprised  by  the  shades  of  evening.  He  sought  in 
vain  to  retrace  his  steps,  and,  when  the  night  grew 
darker,  he  climbed  a  tree,  thinking  that  he  would 
thus  be  safe  from  wild  beasts,  and  that  he  could  find 
his  way  back  in  the  morning,  or  his  companions 
would  search  for  him.  While  Ali  was  in  the  tree 
he  saw  two  men  approaching,  one  of  them  riding 
an  elephant  and  the  other  a  lion,  and  many  servants 
followed,  mounted  on  horses  and  camels.  They 
halted  near  the  tree,  and  one  said  to  the  other, — 

"  Shall  we  pass  the  night  here,  Madyad  ?  " 

"If  you  please,  Khydar,"  answered  the  other, 
"  for  we  are  safe  from  further  pursuit." 

"  What  means  the  royal  tent  which  we  passed 
just  now  ?  " 

"  I  saw  it  too  ;  we  will  send  one  of  our  servants 
to  spy  out  to  whom  it  belongs.  Perhaps  we  may 
find  something  to  our  advantage  there." 

Ali,  hearing  this,  trembled  like  the  leaves  of  the 
tree  on  which  he  sat,  and  held  his  breath  lest  he 
should  be  discovered. 

Khydar  then  sent  one  of  his  servants  to  find 
out  everything  about  the  tent  in  the  most  cautious 
manner.  He  soon  returned,  and  reported, — 

"  The    tent   belongs   to   a   man    from   the  country 


, 


74  New  Arabian  Nights. 

of  the  Smoking  Mountain,  who  is  escorting  AH, 
the  son  of  Farha,  to  Queen  Turaia  ;  but  Ali  has 
been  missing  all  the  evening,  and  is  supposed  to 
be  somewhere  in  this  valley." 

When  Madyad  heard  this,  he  cried  out,  "  What  an 
extraordinary  event !  God  grant  that  we  may  dis 
cover  Ali ! " 

As  he  spoke,  he  raised  his  eyes  to  heaven,  and 
saw  Ali  in  the  tree,  behind  which  the  moon  was 
shining.  Ali  was  so  frightened  that  he  almost  fell 
from  the  tree,  but  Madyad  called  out, — 

"Come  down,  Ali,  and  fear  nothing.  Praised  be 
God,  who  has  spared  us  any  further  trouble  and 
danger  on  your  account." 

Ali  then  descended,  and  asked  them  who  they 
were  and  what  they  wanted,  and  begged  them  to 
lead  him  back  to  the  tent.  They  called  the  servant 
who  had  brought  the  news,  and  they  accompanied 
him  to  Maher's  tent.  When  they  arrived,  Ali  again 
asked  who  they  were,  and  Madyad  answered, — 

"  We  are  the  sons  of  King  Anan,  and  the 
brothers  of  Tarad,  who  carried  you  away  from  the 
castle  of  Queen  Turaia.  As  soon  as  she  missed 
you,  she  led  a  great  army  against  Tarad,  and 
took  him  prisoner.  When  my  father  demanded  his 
release,  she  answered,  '  I  will  not  release  him 
until  Ali  is  restored  to  me.'  It  was  useless  for 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  Son.  75 

my  father  and  Tarad  to  swear  that  they  knew 
nothing  of  you.  She  only  answered,  '  I  require 
you  to  restore  him  to  me,  even  if  he  were  beneath 
the  ground.'  My  father  and  we  all  have  been  seek 
ing  for  you  everywhere,  and  have  sent  messengers 
to  every  part  of  our  kingdom ;  but  as  all  search 
was  vain,  my  father  wrote  to  Queen  Turaia, 
that  if  she  would  not  release  the  innocent  Tarad, 
he  would  march  against  her  with  all  his  allies.  But 
the  winged  genius  who  carried  the  letter  did  not 
return  ;  and  all  at  once  my  father  saw  nothing 
but  wings  in  heaven  and  feet  on  earth.  They  were 
the  flying  genii  and  other  troops  of  Queen  Turaia, 
who  attacked  his  castle  at  once,  both  from  above 
and  from  below,  took  him  prisoner,  and  carried  him 
away.  I  and  my  brothers  were  just  returning  from 
a  journey  when  this  happened,  and  we  were  obliged 
to  take  to  flight.  But  God  be  praised  that  we  have 
met  with  you  so  unexpectedly,  for  we  will  now  go 
together  to  Queen  Turaia,  and  when  she  is  con 
vinced  of  the  innocence  of  my  father  and  brother, 
she  will  set  them  at  liberty." 

On  the  following  morning  Ali  took  leave  of  Maher, 
and  travelled  on  with  the  brothers  of  Tarad  to 
the  Smoking  Mountain,  where  Turaia  still  occupied 
the  castle  of  Anan.  On  the  road  they  had  several 
severe  combats  with  robbers,  and  also  with  genii, 


76  New  Arabian  Nights. 

sent  in  pursuit  of  AH  by  the  Blue  Queen  and  the 
enchantress  Diarda,  and  if  some  genii  of  Queen 
Turaia's  army  had  not  come  to  their  assistance  they 
would  have  been  overpowered  ;  but  on  the  eighth 
day  after  parting  with  Maher  they  reached  the 
castle  of  King  Anan  in  safety.  Turaia  was  beside 
herself  with  joy  at  Ali's  return,  and  he  also  forgot 
all  the  dangers  he  had  suffered  since  their  separa 
tion,  and  sank  fainting  in  her  arms.  When  Ali 
recovered,  Madyad  said  to  Turaia, — 

"You  see  now,  great  Queen,  that  neither  my 
father  nor  my  brother  have  done  your  husband  any 
harm.  Let  him  tell  you  himself  how  Tarad  treated 
him,  and  how  he  was  carried  away  from  you  for 
so  long  a  time,  and  then  act  justly  towards  my 
father,  and  mercifully  towards  Tarad." 

Turaia  then  took  Ali  into  a  room  by  themselves, 
and  begged  him  to  relate  all  that  had  happened 
since  their  separation,  and  to  conceal  nothing. 

After  Turaia  had  heard  the  whole  story  related 
several  times,  she  went  to  her  father,  and  having 
told  him  the  story,  inquired  what  should  be  done 
with  Tarad  and  Anan.  King  Farkad  immediately 
sent  for  Anan,  Tarad,  and  Abu  Tawaif,  and  said  to 
Anan, — 

"As  you  are  wholly  guiltless  of  the  troubles 
which  have  come  upon  the  unfortunate  Ali,  we 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  Son.  77 

can  only  regret  that  the  folly  of  your  son  has 
involved  you  in  such  a  calamitous  war.  We  can 
not  undo  the  past,  but  everything  which  we  have 
taken  from  you  shall  be  restored  to  you.  As  for 
Tarad,  although  he  himself  has  done  AH  no  harm, 
yet  he  has  been  the  cause  of  all  the  misfortunes 
which  have  come  upon  these  countries.  Besides, 
he  broke  his  oath  by  coming  to  the  terrace  of  my 
daughter's  castle,  and  carrying  away  her  guest. 
We  cannot  overlook  his  offences  a  second  time, 
nor  can  we  accept  any  pledge  from  you  and  Abu 
Tawaif  for  his  good  behaviour.  I  will  keep  him 
in  honourable  confinement,  and  treat  him  other 
wise  like  a  king.  I  will  also  keep  the  Blue  Queen 
and  her  daughters  in  prison,  for  they  pursued  Ali 
with  their  armies  almost  to  our  own  territories." 

Farkad  then  sought  to  persuade  Turaia  to  return 
home  with  him ;  but  she  could  not  make  up  her 
mind  to  leave  this  beautiful  country,  for  all  travellers 
agree  that  the  Island  of  the  Smoking  Mountain  is 
the  most  delightful  country  in  the  world ;  and 
Solomon  himself  stayed  here  for  a  time  when  he  was 
on  his  travels,  and  called  it  the  Island  of  Paradise. 
Turaia  therefore  allowed  her  father  to  return  with 
his  prisoners  and  the  greater  part  of  the  army,  and 
promised  to  follow  in  a  short  time  with  Ali. 

A  -few  days  afterwards,  as   Turaia,  Ali,  and  Anan 


7  3  New  Arabian  Nights. 

were  walking-  together  in  the  country,  they  suddenly 
saw  something  like  a  white  cloud  descending  from 
the  sky,  and  encompassing  them  on  all  sides.  As  it 
approached,  they  perceived  that  it  consisted  of  an 
army  of  more  than  two  thousand  white-winged  genii, 
headed  by  the  Blue  Queen,  King  Tarad,  the  old 
woman,  Firusad,  and  the  enchantress,  Diarda. 

As  soon  as  Firusad  and  Diarda  heard  that  the  Blue 
Queen  was  taken  prisoner,  they  hastily  assembled  an 
army  in  the  White  City,  and  fell  upon  the  rear 
guard  of  King  Farkad's  army  by  night,  which 
consisted  of  only  a  few  hundred  soldiers  who  were 
guarding  the  prisoners.  They  slew  the  guard  to  a 
man,  without  any  intelligence  reaching  Farkad,  and 
then  returned  to  the  island  of  the  Smoking  Mountain 
and  fell  upon  Turaia. 

When  Turaia  saw  herself  thus  surrounded  with 
enemies,  she  fought  like  a  lioness,  and  slew  more  than 
a  hundred  with  her  own  hand  ;  but  at  length  she  was 
enclosed  by  genii,  like  a  finger  by  a  ring,  and  was 
compelled  to  surrender.  Anan,  who  attempted  to 
defend  her,  was  made  prisoner,  and  carried  off  by  his 
son,  Tarad,  while  AH  was  seized  upon  by  Firusad,  who 
carried  him  to  the  top  of  a  high  mountain,  and  said, 
"  Lest  you  should  cause  dissension  between  the  Blue 
Queen  and  her  daughters,  O  destroyer  of  populous 
cities,  assume  a  form  which  shall  mislead  no  one." 


They  suddenly  saw  something  like  a  white  cloud. 


79 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  Son.  81 

She  then  took  a  little  earth,  murmured  something 
over  it,  and  threw  it  in  Ali's  face,  saying,  "  Quit  this 
form,  and  assume  that  of  a  hideous  raven,  which 
wanders  about  the  peaks  of  the  mountains  ;  and  let  no 
one  pity  thee  till  the  day  of  resurrection."  She  had 
scarcely  spoken,  when  Ali  found  himself  transformed 
into  a  raven,  as  black  as  night,  and  he  spread  his 
wings  and  flew  away. 

When  Queen  Turaia  was  brought  before  the  Blue 
Queen,  the  latter  said  to  her,  "  Woe  to  you,  impudent 
woman,  to  choose  for  your  husband  the  handsomest 
youth  in  the  world,  and  to  lay  waste  whole  kingdoms 
on  his  account !  If  I  had  yielded  to  my  just  resent 
ment,  you  would  have  been  slain  on  the  spot ;  but 
you  will  not  find  it  very  pleasant  in  my  capital  !  " 

She  then  ordered  some  of  the  genii  to  bind  Turaia 
and  carry  her  to  the  White  City,  whither  she  would 
follow  immediately.  As  soon  as  the  Blue  Queen 
reached  home,  she  entered  the  bath,  and  seated  her 
self  on  a  golden  divan  in  the  greatest  splendour,  with 
her  daughters  and  nobles  around  her,  and  ordered 
Queen  Turaia  to  be  brought  before  her  in  chains. 

Turaia  bent  her  head  to  the  ground  with  shame, 
for  this  was  the  first  reverse  which  she  had  ever 
experienced  in  her  life ;  but  then  she  stood  up 
haughtily  before  the  Blue  Queen,  and  said,  "  Truly 
great  monarchs  are  compassionate  after  war,  and  you 


82  New  Arabian  Nights. 

cannot  boast  of  your  victory,  for  you  attacked  me 
suddenly  with  an  overwhelming  army.  Your  victory 
is  neither  due  to  your  strength  nor  to  my  weakness  ; 
nevertheless,  God  has  so  ordained  it,  and  no  one  can 
strive  against  His  decrees.  But,  remember,  that  as 
soon  as  my  father  learns  that  I  am  a  prisoner  here, 
he  will  come  upon  you  with  an  army  which  you  will 
be  unable  to  resist.  If  my  hands  and  feet  were  only 
free  from  these  chains,  I  myself  would  fight  out  my 
quarrel  with  you  !" 

When  the  Blue  Queen  heard  this,  she  said  to  her 
daughters,  "I  think  Turaia  must  have  lost  her  reason, 
or  she  would  not  dare  to  speak  to  me  in  her  present 
condition.  Take  her  chains  off;  I  am  not  afraid  of 
her,  and  would  like  to  see  what  she  means  to  do." 

Johara  had  scarcely  unfastened  her  chains,  when 
she  stamped  with  her  foot,  and  instantly  wings 
appeared  upon  her,  and  she  flew  homewards  through 
an  open  window.  But  the  Blue  Queen  also  assumed 
the  form  of  a  great  bird,  and  followed  her  until  she 
seized  her  feet,  and  cried  out,  "  Woe  to  you,  false 
woman,  did  you  think  it  was  so  easy  to  escape  me  ? 
I  will  now  put  you  into  a  cage  from  which  you  will 
have  no  further  desire  to  escape." 

But  Turaia  instantly  changed  herself  into  an  ant, 
fell  to  the  ground,  and  crept  into  a  hole.  The  Blue 
Queen  immediately  took  the  form  of  a  cock  with  a 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  Son.  83 

large  beak,  and  turned  up  the  earth  till  she  found  the 
ant.  But  just  as  she  was  about  to  pick  up  the  ant, 
it  changed  into  a  flash  of  fire,  which  burned  the  wings 
of  the  cock,  and  then  rose  into  the  air  and  fled  away. 
The  Blue  Queen  then  called  her  daughters  and 
friends,  assembled  her  army  again,  and  pursued 
Turaia  until  she  overtook  her. 

Turaia  was  fighting  with  Firusad  and  Johara,  when 
she  suddenly  saw  herself  surrounded  by  enemies, 
among  whom  was  the  Blue  Queen,  with  cheeks  as  red 
as  fire  with  delight,  who  exclaimed,  "  Woe  to  you, 
base  woman,  for  your  last  hour  has  arrived  !  " 

But  Turaia  cried  out  with  a  loud  voice,  "  There  is 
no  strength  nor  power  but  in  Almighty  God  !  "  and, 
behold,  her  father,  King  Farkad,  came  up  with  a 
great  army  to  rescue  her  from  the  hands  of  her 
enemies  ;  for  after  waiting  some  days  in  vain  for  the 
arrival  of  the  troops  who  should  have  followed  him 
with  the  prisoners,  he  returned,  and  found  his  troops 
slaughtered,  and  the  prisoners  escaped. 

This  made  him  tremble  for  his  daughter's  safety, 
and  he  returned  with  all  speed  to  the  Smoking  Moun 
tain  to  protect  her. 

When  Turaia  saw  her  father  she  fell  on  his  neck, 
and  exclaimed,  "  Praise  be  to  God  that  you  have 
arrived  ;  for  if  you  had  come  a  little  later,  I  should 
no  longer  have  been  among  the  living  !  " 


84  New  Arabian  Nights. 

They  then  urged  on  their  army  to  the  battle,  and 
the  genii  of  the  Blue  Queen  were  speedily  slain  or 
taken  prisoners.  The  queen  herself  was  pursued  by 
Turaia  to  her  capital  and  slain,  but  her  dominions 
were  given  to  King  Anan,  for  Turaia  said,  "  I  will 
only  remain  here  till  I  have  found  Ali,  and  we  will 
then  return  home  together." 

In  the  meantime,  Ali  was  flying  about  in  the  shape 
of  a  raven,  without  knowing  which  way  to  turn,  or 
where  to  obtain  food  and  drink.  After  three  days  he 
was  so  exhausted  that  he  fluttered  wildly  about  among 
the  trees  and  rocks,  and  at  length  fell  senseless  to  the 
earth.  Upon  this,  more  than  a  thousand  ravens 
assembled  round  him,  who  beat  him  with  their  wings, 
and  pecked  him,  and  pulled  his  feathers  out,  while  he 
lay  as  helpless  as  a  sparrow  in  the  claws  of  an  eagle. 
After  thus  torturing  him  to  their  heart's  content,  one 
of  the  ravens,  thinking  Ali  was  dead,  flung  him  into  a 
fowler's  net,  and  flew  away.  Ali  thought  he  was  now 
out  of  danger,  and  endeavoured  to  free  himself  from 
the  net,  but  was  unable,  and  when  the  fowler  returned, 
he  seized  him  by  the  legs,  saying,  "  Here  is  a  hideous 
raven,  the  friend  of  desolation  and  separation,  who 
frightens  the  other  birds  away  from  my  nets  !  "  He 
then  took  a  pair  of  shears  from  his  pocket,  cut  his 
wings,  tied  his  legs  with  a  string,  and  carried  him  away. 
But  he  soon  found  that  he  had  made  a  good  catch, 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  Son.  85 

for  Ali  enticed  many  birds  around  them  as  they  went 
along,  which  fell  into  the  fowler's  nets.  When  they 
arrived  at  an  inn  in  the  evening,  he  stroked  Ali's 
feathers,  saying,  "  You  have  been  very  useful  to  me, 
for  I  have  caught  more  birds  to-day  than  I  ever 
caught  before  in  a  whole  week." 

On  the  following  day,  seeing  that  Ali  was  exhausted, 
the  fowler  took  him  on  his  camel,  and  as  often  as  the 
camel  stopped,  Alj  pecked  him  with  his  beak  till  he 
went  on  again.  The  fowler  laughed  very  much,  and 
said,  "  You  are  a  very  clever  bird." 

In  the  evening  they  arrived  at  the  city  of  Nishran, 
where  the  fowler  lived.  It  was  a  large  city,  surrounded 
with  beautiful  gardens.  The  king  was  named  Rihan, 
and  his  three  daughters  were  more  skilled  in  magic 
than  the  angels,  Harut  and  Marut. 

When  the  fowler  entered  his  house,  his  wife  was 
astonished  to  see  him  come  back  so  soon.  However, 
he  only  said,  "  My  speedy  return  is  due  to  this  raven, 
who  has  helped  me  to  great  success.  Take  good  care 
of  him,  while  I  go  to  the  bird-dealer's  and  sell  what  I 
have  brought." 

The  fowler's  wife  brought  Ali  into  a  large  room, 
and  gave  him  food  and  water.  He  ate  and  drank, 
hopped  about  the  room,  and  played  with  the  woman 
and  her  daughters,  until  the  return  of  the  fowler,  when 
Ali  bowed  to  him,  and  remained  standing  respectfully 

9 


86  New  Arabian  Nights. 

before  him.  The  fowler  and  his  family  soon  became 
so  fond  of  him  that  they  would  not  go  out  without 
him.  Ali's  chief  amusement  in  the  streets  was  to 
tease  the  dogs.  Sometimes  he  beat  their  faces  with 
his  wings,  and  sometimes  he  pecked  them  on  the 
back,  and  when  they  barked  and  turned  round  to 
seize  him,  he  jumped  away.  He  teased  the  cats,  too, 
till  at  last  they  all  kept  out  of  his  way.  He  soon 
became  the  talk  of  the  whole  town,  and  many  people 
visited  the  fowler  to  see  him  and  play  with  him  ;  and 
everybody  brought  him  something  good  to  eat.  In 
the  course  of  time,  the  king  heard  so  much  of  his  per 
formances,  that  he  sent  one  of  his  servants  to  ask  the 
fowler  to  bring  him  to  his  castle.  The  fowler  then 
took  him  under  his  arm,  and  carried  him  to  the  castle. 
AH  bowed  three  times  before  the  king,  as  subjects  are 
accustomed  to  do,  and  all  the  viziers  and  officers 
exclaimed,  "  By  Allah  !  this  is  a  wonderful  bird  !  " 

When  the  king  stretched  out  his  hand  to  Ali,  Ali 
kissed  it  with  his  beak,  but  remained  sitting  respect 
fully  at  his  feet  till  the  king  lifted  him  up  on  his  lap, 
stroked  his  feathers,  and  ordered  some  sweetmeats  to 
be  brought,  saying,  "  Now,  clever  bird,  eat  with  me." 
Ali  shook  his  head  to  imply  that  he  was  unworthy  of 
such  an  honour,  but  the  king  said  again,  "  Eat  away, 
friendly  raven."  Ali  then  ate  till  he  had  had  enough, 
when  he  wiped  his  beak  on  his  feathers.  The  king 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  Son.  87 

was  so  delighted  that  he  bought  the  raven,  wishing  to 
keep  it  always  near  him. 

One  day  the  king  went  to  his  harem  rather  later 
than  usual,  and  the  queen  asked  why  he  had  left 
her  alone  so  long. 

The  king  answered,  "  I  have  a  raven  which  is 
the  cleverest  bird  that  I  have  ever  seen,  and  he 
amused  me  so  much  to-day  that  I  quite  forget  the 
time." 

The  queen  replied,  "  Why  don't  you  show  me  the 
bird?  I  have  heard  so  much  about  him  that  I 
should  like  to  see  him  very  much  ;  but  I  did  not 
wish  to  ask  you  till  you  mentioned  him  yourself." 

The  king  ordered  a  slave-girl  to  fetch  Ali,  and 
when  she  returned,  he  said  to  Ali,  "  Will  you  not 
amuse  these  ladies  a  little  ?  "  Ali  then  began  to  play 
all  sorts  of  tricks,  he  kissed  the  cheek  of  one,  pulled 
away  the  ribbons  from  the  neck  of  another,  shook 
the  curls  of  a  third,  and  danced  on  the  knee  of  a 
fourth,  till  they  could  scarcely  sit  upright  for  laugh 
ing  at  his  antics.  The  queen  was  so  pleased  that 
she  sent  a  slave  to  call  her  daughters  to  see  the 
fun.  In  a  short  time  three  beautiful  and  majestic 
maidens  entered,  and  the  eldest  had  no  sooner  caught 
sight  of  the  raven  than  she  said  to  the  two  others, 
"  By  Allah,  this  raven  is  an  enchanted  man  !  " 

The  maidens  looked  sharply  into  Ali's  eyes,  and 


88  New  Arabian  Nights. 

answered,  "  You  are  right,  dear  sister  ;  but  this  is 
a  strange  thing !  "  They  then  asked  their  mother 
to  allow  them  to  take  AH  to  their  own  room,  and 
when  she  gave  them  permission,  the  eldest  princess 
said,  "  Follow  me,  and  I  will  show  you  something 
worth  seeing,  that  ought  not  to  be  forgotten  to  the 
day  of  resurrection  !  "  They  led  Ali  to  their  old 
nurse,  who  was  of  the  race  of  the  Amalekites,  and 
who  had  instructed  them  in  magic,  and  said  to  her, 
"Venerable  mother,  we  bring  you  a  raven  whom 
some  evil-disposed  person  has  enchanted  ;  will  you 
not  try  to  help  him  ? "  The  old  woman  asked  them 
to  light  some  candles,  as  her  sight  was  failing,  and 
it  was  already  growing  dusk.  She  then  pulled  out 
some  of  Ali's  feathers,  examined  his  skin,  and  cried 
out,  "  I  recognise  the  work  of  old  Firusad,  who 
taught  magic  to  the  Blue  Queen.  There  is  no 
doubt  that  the  queen  loved  him,  and  ordered  him 
to  be  enchanted  because  he  rejected  her."  She  then 
took  Ali  into  an  adjacent  room  where  she  kept  her 
magic  apparatus,  poured  some  yellow  water  out  of 
a  sealed  flask  into  a  copper  basin,  and  murmured 
some  unintelligible  words  over  it,  upon  which  it 
began  to  boil  up  and  to  foam.  She  then  said 
"  Stop ! "  and  the  water,  which  was  about  to  over 
flow,  sunk  below  the  edge  of  the  basin.  She  then 
set  the  basin  on  the  ground,  and  a  green  plant  with 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  Son.  89 

yellow  flowers  sprang  up  from  the  floor  around  it. 
She  gathered  a  handful  of  the  flowers,  and  rubbed 
Ali's  feet  and  beak  with  it.  She  next  sprinkled  his 
head  with  the  water  from  the  basin,  and  uttered  a 
fearful  cry,  upon  which  Ali  recovered  his  shape,  when 
the  old  woman  asked  him  with  a  friendly  smile 
what  was  his  name,  and  whether  he  did  not  know 
the  Blue  Queen  ?  Ali  begged  her  to  tell  him  if  he 
was  far  from  the  Island  of  Musk.  "  What  do  you 
mean  ? "  answered  she  ;  "  you  are  now  close  to  the 
regions  of  darkness,  where  lies  the  sea  of  the  two- 
horned  Alexander,  and  the  Fountain  of  Life.  I 
should  advise  you  to  stay  here  under  my  protection. 
I  will  introduce  you  to  the  king  as  my  nephew ; 
and  after  my  death,  you  may  inherit  my  property, 
and  travel  where  you  please."  Ali  knew  from  bitter 
experience  that  he  could  do  nothing  against  the 
will  of  an  enchantress,  and  although  he  was  most 
anxious  to  return  to  his  wife,  notwithstanding  the 
distance,  and  the  danger,  he  thanked  the  old  woman 
for  her  kind  offer,  and  consented  to  remain  with 
her,  secretly  hoping  that  God  would  open  a  way 
of  escape  for  him.  He  was  not  wrong  in  his  de 
cision,  for  she  only  observed,  "  If  you  had  opposed 
my  request,  you  might  have  fallen  into  a  worse 
misfortune  than  before."  She  then  led  him  into 
her  own  room,  from  which  there  was  a  pleasant 


9O  New  Arabian  Nights. 

view  over  the  city  and  harbour,  and  ordered  her 
servants  to  prepare  a  feast  for  him,  and  she  herself 
brought  him  a  bottle  of  wine,  which  restored  his 
health  and  spirits.  He  then  entered  the  bath,  and 
put  on  the  rich  clothing  provided  for  him,  and  when 
he  returned  to  her  afterwards,  his  appearance  was 
so  much  improved  that  she  hardly  knew  him  again. 

In  the  evening,  the  princesses  came  to  see  what 
had  become  of  Ali.  They  admired  him  very  much  ; 
one  said  that  he  was  like  one  of  the  kings  of  the 
genii  ;  and  another  that  he  was  handsomer  than 
Joseph.  He  was  about  to  rise  up  when  they  entered, 
but  the  old  woman  would  not  allow  it,  and  said, 
"A  prince  like  you  need  not  rise  before  any  one. 
Ladies,  this  is  Ali,  the  son  of  my  friend  Farha,  the 
daughter  of  King  Mutar.  Remain  here,  and  con 
verse  with  him."  The  princesses  sat  down,  and 
talked  for  some  time,  till  the  old  woman  said,  "  You 
had  better  go  now,  for  your  father  would  be  angry 
if  he  knew  that  you  had  passed  the  whole  evening 
in  company  with  this  stranger." 

The  princesses  then  retired,  and  Ali,  feeling  weary, 
asked  permission  to  rest.  He  was  shown  to  a 
comfortable  room,  where  he  soon  fell  asleep.  He 
dreamed  that  Turaia  appeared  to  him,  as  slender 
as  a  swaying  willow,  and  with  eyes  like  a  young 
gazelle.  Tears  ran  down  her  cheeks,  like  dewdrops 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  Son.  91 

on  a  rose  ;  she  tore  her  hair,  and  exclaimed  in  a 
broken  voice,  "Art  thou  like  other  men,  Ali,  and 
canst  thou  forget  me  so  soon  ?  Do  not  rejoice  our 
enemies  by  allowing  an  old  witch  to  keep  you  back 
from  me.  Thou  knowest  what  I  have  suffered  on 
thy  account  ;  break  away  from  the  obstacles  which 
surround  you,  and  strive  to  meet  me  again  !  " 

Ali  started  up,  and  went  back  into  the  other 
room,  where  he  saw  the  old  woman  asleep.  He 
opened  the  door  quietly,  and  escaped  through  an 
outer  door  into  the  city.  He  ran  all  night,  heedless 
whither,  and  when  morning  dawned  he  found  him 
self  in  a  vast  desert,  where  there  was  not  a  blade 
of  grass  nor  a  drop  of  water.  The  sun  soon  became 
so  hot  to  his  head,  and  the  earth  became  so  hot 
under  his  feet,  that  he  was  unable  to  go  farther; 
and  was  obliged  to  lie  down  on  the  ground.  He 
lay  thus  for  the  whole  day,  but  when  the  sun  set, 
a  cool  breeze  sprang  up,  and  Ali  ran  on  again  all 
night  in  the  darkness.  On  the  following  morning, 
he  saw  before  him  a  mountain  so  lofty  that  no  bird 
could  fly  to  its  summit.  Fruit-trees  clothed  its  sides, 
and  the  most  beautiful  birds  sang  their  morning 
song  in  the  branches,  and  many  brooks  meandered 
round,  or  fell  in  cascades  from  vast  precipices.  Ali 
bathed  in  the  waters  of  a  brook  which  was  whiter 
than  milk,  cooler  than  snow,  and  sweeter  than  honey, 


92  New  Arabian  Nights. 

and  sat  down  under  a  lofty  tree,  with  such  thick 
foliage  that  the  rays  of  the  sun  could  not  pierce 
through.  Ali  was  so  exhausted  that  he  soon  fell 
asleep,  but  the  old  woman  appeared  to  him  in  a 
dream,  with  a  drawn  sword  in  her  hand,  and  looking 
still  more  hideous  than  she  was  in  reality.  She 
raised  the  sword  to  kill  him,  when  he  started  up  in 
terror,  and  as  he  found  it  impossible  to  sleep  again, 
he  walked  on,  and  began  to  climb  the  mountain, 
when  he  suddenly  saw  two  hideous  and  gigantic 
forms  before  him.  Their  eyes  were  in  the  middle  of 
their  faces,  and  divided  longitudinally,  and  they  had 
projecting  teeth  like  the  tusks  of  an  elephant. 

Ali  stood  still,  and  heard  one  say  to  the  other, 
"  Misham,  did  you  see  the  young  man  who  was 
sleeping  here  just  now  ?  What  can  have  become  of 
him  ?  I  never  saw  any  human  creature  on  this 
mountain  until  to-day." 

"Yes,  Barari,  I  saw  him,"  said  Misham:  "he  is  a 
young  man  as  beautiful  as  the  full  moon,  and  whoever 
sees  him,  loves  him." 

"  He  is  Ali,  the  son  of  Farha,"  observed  Barari. 

u  If  so,"  returned  Misham,  "  I  am  at  the  end  of 
my  troubles,  for  know,  my  friend,  that  I  am  sent 
here  by  Queen  Turaia  to  seek  for  Ali,  and  have 
sworn  not  to  return  without  news  of  him.  I  have 
been  wandering  for  a  long  time  through  all  inhabited 


The  old  woman  appeared  to  him  in  a  dream,  with  a  drawn  sword 
in  her  hand. 


93 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  Son.  95 

and  desert  countries,  through  towns  and  villages, 
and  among  mountains  and  valleys  everywhere  asking 
men  and  genii  if  they  had  seen  him.  At  last  I 
heard  that  the  nurse  of  the  princesses  in  the  neigh 
bouring  city  had  restored  a  raven,  who  was  an  en 
chanted  man,  to  his  proper  shape.  I  inquired  at  the 
castle  after  the  stranger,  but  was  informed  that  he 
had  departed  secretly,  none  knew  whither.  Let  us 
hasten  to  find  him  lest  he  should  escape  us  again." 

AH  then  cried  out,  "  Stay  where  you  are,  for  I  am 
AH,  the  son  of  Farha,  whom  you  seek.  Will  you 
take  me  back  to  my  loved  one,  Queen  Turaia  ?  " 

"Not  yet,"  replied  Misham,  "  for  this  would  impede 
my  flight,  and  I  must  take  news  of  you  to  the  queen 
as  quickly  as  possible,  lest  she  should  die  of  grief 
and  anxiety.  Stay  here  with  my  friend  Barari.  I 
will  hasten  to  Turaia,  and  will  soon  return  with 
her." 

As  he  spoke,  he  spread  his  wings,  and  disappeared 
in  an  instant.  When  he  was  gone,  Barari  told  AH 
not  to  go  far  from  the  spot,  and  flew  away  too. 
In  the  evening  he  came  back,  bringing  some  pro 
visions  with  him.  On  the  following  morning  he 
again  left  AH  alone.  Soon  afterwards,  one  of  the 
flying  genii  descended,  took  AH  on  his  back,  and 
flew  up  into  the  air  with  him.  AH  fainted  with  fear ; 
and  when  he  recovered,  he  found  himself  in  a  royal 


96  New  Arabian  Nights. 

castle,  where  a  lady  was  seated  on  a  throne  of  gold 
and  jewels  ;  and  attendants  stood  all  around. 

The  lady  said  softly  to  a  friend,  "  This  youth  is 
certainly  not  worth  the  furious  wars  which  my  sister 
Turaia  wages  with  the  kings  of  the  genii  on  his  ac 
count.  Look  how  dull  are  his  eyes,  and  how  pale 
his  cheeks,  and  how  insignificant  his  whole  appear 
ance  !  If  I  had  known  that  this  was  the  famous 
AH,  I  would  never  have  troubled  myself  to  bring 
him  here  ;  but  as  he  is  now  in  my  power,  he  may  aid 
in  effecting  a  ^reconciliation  between  myself  and  my 
sister."  She  then  said  aloud  to  her  attendants, 
"  Which  of  you  will  fly  quickest  to  my  sister  Turaia, 
who  is  still  in  the  White  City  with  the  daughters 
of  the  Blue  Queen,  and  inform  her  that  Ali,  the 
son  of  Farha,  is  with  me  here  ? " 

Upon  this  a  hideous  and  gigantic  genius  named 
Humarik  rose  up  and  answered,  "  Great  queen,  I 
only  await  your  orders  to  fly  to  her  like  the  wind." 

She  immediately  called  for  paper  and  ink,  and 
wrote  a  letter  to  her  sister,  which  she  gave  to 
Humarik,  who  kissed  her  hand,  and  set  out  on  his 
journey. 

But  the  queen  soon  repented  that  she  had  written 
to  her  sister,  and  sought  an  occasion  to  quarrel  with 
Ali,  that  she  might  put  him  out  of  the  way.  She 
therefore  entertained  him  royally  for  that  day  ;  and 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  Son.  97 

on  the  following  morning,  after  AH  had  performed 
his  ablutions,  and  prayed,  an  attendant  entered  his 
room,  who  announced, — 

"The  queen  wishes  to  speak  with  you,  and  is 
waiting  for  you  outside  the  city." 

AH  left  the  castle  with  his  guide,  and  found  a  mule 
waiting.  He  rode  out  of  the  city,  and  presently 
found  the  queen  sitting  with  an  old  woman  on  a 
Greek  carpet,  under  the  shade  of  a  tree.  She  asked 
AH  to  sit  down,  and  gave  him  something  to  eat  and 
drink  which  she  had  brought  with  her,  and  then 
said,  "  Come  with  me  a  little  way,  for  the  old  woman 
will  take  care  of  everything  for  us." 

The  queen  guided  AH  to  a  green  valley,  where  they 
heard  nothing  but  rippling  brooks,  singing  birds,  and 
rustling  branches. 

"  What  a  beautiful  valley  !  "  he  exclaimed,  "  let  us 
rest  here  awhile,  great  queen." 

"  If  the  valley  pleases  you  so  much,  you  need  not 
leave  it  very  soon,"  she  replied,  and  when  AH  dis 
mounted,  and  sat  down,  she  also  got  down  from  her 
mule,  and  sat  near  him.  Then  she  turned  to  AH, 
and  exclaimed,  "  Are  you  not  ashamed,  AH,  to  eat 
my  food,  and  drink  my  wine,  and  yet  to  desire  to 
leave  my  court  immediately*,  to  return  to  my  sister  ? " 
She  then  struck  him  in  the  face,  and  breathed  on 
him,  saying,  "  AH,  son  of  Farha,  become  a  marble 

10 


New  Arabian  Nights. 


statue,  speechless  and  incapable  of  showing  any  signs 
of  life  !  " 

Ali  fainted  ;  and  when  he  recovered  his  senses,  he 
heard  the  old  woman  say,  "  Great  queen,  it  rests 
entirely  with  you  whether  Ali  shall  remain  a  statue 
till  the  day  of  resurrection  ;  but  what  will  you  say 
to  your  sister,  Queen  Turaia,  when  she  comes  ?  " 

"  What  have  I  to  fear  from  Queen  Turaia  ?  "  an 
swered  she,  haughtily.  "  Is  not  my  army  like  the 
grains  of  sand  in  the  desert,  or  as  the  raindrops  that 
fall  from  heaven  for  multitude  ;  and  are  not  the  most 
powerful  kings  of  the  genii  in  the  island  my  allies  ?  " 

The  old  woman  saw  that  her  words  made  no  im 
pression,  and  only  said,  "  You  know  better  than  I, 
mighty  queen  ;  do  what  you  think  right." 

Then  the  queen  ordered  two  of  her  servants  to 
carry  the  statue  to  a  part  of  the  valley  where  the 
trees  grew  so  thick  that  not  a  ray  of  light  could 
pierce  through  the  shade  ;  and  forbade  them  on  pain 
of  death  to  mention  the  affair  to  any  one.  "  If  Turaia 
asks  after  him,"  she  said  to  the  old  woman,  "  we  must 
say  that  he  went  out  alone  against  our  wishes,  and 
did  not  return." 

In  the  meantime  Queen  Turaia  was  on  the  point 
of  starting  with  Misham'to  the  place  where  he  had 
left  Ali,  when  Humarik  arrived  with  the  letter  from 
Queen  Shuba.  She  opened  it  hastily,  and  imme- 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  Son.  99 

diately  asked  the  messenger  if  he  had  seen  Ali  with 
his  own  eyes  ?  He  swore  solemnly  that  he  had  seen 
Ali  himself  at  the  court  of  Queen  Shuba.  She  then 
gave  him  a  friendly  reception,  and  commanded  her 
troops  to  prepare  to  accompany  her  to  the  neighbour 
ing  island  where  Queen  Shuba  reigned,  as  she  wished 
to  visit  her  sister.  This  amazed  every  one,  as  there 
had  been  bitter  enmity  between  Turaia  and  Shuba 
from  their  earliest  youth.  They  were  their  father's 
only  children,  and  each  wished  to  be  his  favourite. 
Each  of  them,  too,  aspired  to  be  most  proficient  in 
magic,  in  which  they  had  been  instructed  by  his 
orders.  Their  mutual  jealousy  at  length  resulted  in 
a  duel,  in  which  Shuba  was  severely  wounded,  and 
carried  senseless  into  the  castle.  Farkad,  who  had 
just  returned  from  a  journey,  sent  hastily  for  the  best 
physicians,  who  scattered  a  powder  over  the  wound, 
and  administered  wine.  This  revived  Shuba ;  and 
after  a  few  weeks  she  perfectly  recovered.  But  the 
thought  that  every  one  knew  that  she  had  been 
defeated  by  the  sister  whom  she  hated,  preyed  so 
much  upon  her  mind  that  she  could  neither  endure 
to  appear  in  public,  or  to  remain  at  home.  She 
therefore  begged  her  tutor  to  seek  for  a  distant  island, 
where  she  and  her  adherents  could  found  a  new 
kingdom.  The  tutor  immediately  summoned  the 
kings  of  the  genii  who  were  subject  to  him,  and 


ioo  New  Arabian  Nights. 

they  traversed  the  whole  world  without  rinding 
any  suitable  uninhabited  island,  but  one,  which  they 
called  the  Island  of  Perfection,  from  its  fertility  and 
its  charming  situation.  When  they  brought  this 
news  to  the  tutor,  he  ordered  them  to  prepare  their 
troops  for  a  journey,  and  he  went  to  King  Farkad, 
and  said,  "  If  the  life  of  your  daughter  Shuba  is  dear 
to  you,  you  must  permit  her  to  leave  the  country. 
You  can  perceive  that  her  health  and  strength  are 
gradually  failing ;  she  requires  change  of  air,  and 
I  have  already  found  a  place  of  abode  for  her  where, 
if  God  wills,  she  may  recover  her  health." 

The  king  answered,  "  You  know,  revered  Professor, 
that  my  daughter  Shuba  is  my  life  and  my  soul,  and 
that  it  would  be  very  painful  for  me  to  part  with  her  ; 
yet  I  love  her  so  well  that  I  would  rather  hear  that 
she  was  well  and  happy  at  a  distance  than  see  her 
sick  and  suffering.  I  will  therefore  put  no  difficulty 
in  the  way  of  her  departure." 

He  immediately  sent  for  his  treasurer,  and  gave 
the  tutor  as  much  money  as  he  required  ;  and  he 
ordered  the  admiral  to  prepare  the  best  ships  for  his 
daughter. 

On  the  deck  of  the  ship  chosen  for  Shuba  herself, 
he  erected  a  tent  of  aloes  wood,  and  spread  the 
floor  with  rich  carpets.  When  all  was  ready,  he 
summoned  the  captain,  and  begged  him  to  use  every 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  Son.  101 

effort  to  secure  his  daughter  a  safe  and  comfortable 
voyage,  and  not  to  allow  the  sailors  to  make  any 
unnecessary  noise,  lest  they  might  disturb  her.  He 
then  took  leave  of  his  daughter,  and  the  ships  set 
sail.  The  captain  only  spread  the  smaller  sails  as 
long  as  the  ships  were  in  sight  of  the  harbour,  and 
the  king  was  still  looking  after  them  ;  but  after 
wards  he  spread  the  main-sail,  and  the  wind  was  so 
favourable  that  they  soon  arrived  safely  at  the  Island 
of  Perfection.  Shuba  was  delighted  with  her  tutor's 
choice,  for  she  thought  the  island  a  real  paradise. 
She  then  selected  the  most  beautiful  spot  in  the 
whole  island  for  her  castle,  and  her  tutor  designed 
the  plan.  A  city  soon  sprang  up  around  it,  for  the 
fertility  of  the  island,  and  the  abundance  of  precious 
stones  which  it  contained,  attracted  emigrants  from 
all  parts  of  the  world,  and  Shuba  became  a  mighty 
queen,  whose  power  continually  increased,  until  she 
thought  herself  the  equal  of  Turaia. 

When  Turaia  arrived,  she  sought  for  Ali  every 
where  in  the  palace,  but  in  vain,  and  she  did  not 
like  to  ask  her  sister  about  him.  She  passed  a 
sleepless  night,  and  when  the  great  men  of  the 
empire  and  the  captains  of  the  army  assembled  to 
do  her  honour,  she  was  so  exhausted  that  she  was 
scarcely  able  to  reply  to  them.  When  she  was  again 
alone  with  Shuba,  she  asked  her  to  take  a  walk  ; 


iO2  New  Arabian  Nights. 

and  as  soon  as  they  had  left  the  city  she  said,  "  My 
dear  sister,  although  this  island  is  incomparably 
beautiful,  and  I  would  like  much  to  stay  longer  with 
you,  yet  my  own  imperial  duties  forbid  it,  nor  must  I 
leave  our  father  too  long  alone.  I  must  therefore 
ask  you  where  is  Ali,  the  beloved  of  my  heart,  whose 
arrival  at  your  court  was  announced  to  me  by  your 
messenger  ?  I  long  to  see  him  very  much,  and  desire 
to  return  home  with  him." 

"  Dear  sister,"  replied  Shuba  ;  "  a  few  days  after 
the  departure  of  my  messenger,  Ali  rode  out,  and 
has  never  returned.  I  have  made  inquiries  about 
him  throughout  the  whole  island,  but  no  one  has 
discovered  any  trace  of  him.  I  was  then  sorry  that 
I  had  despatched  my  messenger,  but  I  could  not  call 
him  back." 

"  Do  not  reproach  yourself,  dear  sister,"  said 
Turaia  ;  "  it  seems  that  Ali's  troubles  are  not  yet 
ended,  or  he  would  have  remained  here.  Perhaps 
he  has  missed  his  way  in  the  forest,  and  will  soon 
return.  I  will  wait  here  for  him  a  few  days  longer." 

On  the  following  day  Turaia  rose. up  early,  and 
went  into  the  mountains  to  search  for  Ali  herself, 
but  she  rode  about  all  day  calling  his  name  with 
out  receiving  any  answer.  In  the  evening  she  was 
quite  exhausted,  and  fell  on  the  ground,  and  cried, 
weeping,  "  O  God,  Thou  hast  decreed  that  Ali  and 


Perhaps  he  has  missed  his  way  in  the  forest." 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  Son.  105 

I  should  suffer  from  this  unhappy  love,  and  that  so 
many  troubles  should  befall  us.  This  has  separated 
me  from  my  home  and  my  father  ;  but  I  have  no 
hope  now.  I  seek  Thy  aid,  for  nothing  in  heaven  or 
on  earth  is  hidden  from  Thee.  I  implore  Thee,  for 
the  sake  of  Thy  messenger  Mohammed  (peace  be 
with  him  !)  to  show  me  the  place  where  my  beloved 
Ali  is  concealed,  and  reunite  us."  As  soon  as  she 
had  finished  her  prayer,  she  heard  a  voice  reply, 
"  You  will  soon  meet  you  husband  again.  Queen 
Shuba  has  changed  him  into  a  marble  statue,  which 
lies  in  this  valley.  When  she  sent  for  him  first  she 
thought  to  have  effected  a  reconciliation  with  you 
through  his  means  ;  but  after  she  had  written  to  you, 
she  repented  of  what  she  had  done,  so  she  changed 
him  into  a  statue,  which  she  ordered  to  be  thrown 
into  the  wood  where  the  trees  are  most  thickly 
interlaced." 

Turaia  then  plunged  deeper  into  the  wood,  where 
she  heard  two  genii  contending  for  the  possession 
of  her  beloved.  One  was  Sader,  whom  she  herself 
had  sent  in  search  of  Ali  ;  and  the  other  was  Duha, 
a  friend  of  Queen  Farha. 

Now  Sader  had  searched  the  hills  and  valleys 
from  east  to  west,  for  several  weeks ;  and  when  he 
arrived  at  the  Island  of  Perfection,  he  had  lost  all 
hope  of  finding  Ali,  and  was  about  to  return  to 


io6  New  Arabian  Nights. 

Turaia,  when  he  saw  Duha,  who  appeared  very 
much  agitated,  looking  all  about  her,  and  running 
first  one  way  and  then  another,  and  she  was  so 
much  heated  that  fire  flew  from  her  nose. 

Sader  stopped   her,   and  asked  her  who  she  was, 
and  where  she  was  going  ? 

She  answered,  "  I  am  Duha,  the  daughter  of  a 
great  king  who  lives  near  the  Coral  Island.  I 
left  my  father  because  he  wished  to  marry  me 
against  my  will  to  an  ugly  prince  from  the  Island 
of  Lions,  and  I  fled  to  Queen  Farha.  I  found  her 
in  great  trouble,  and  when  I  asked  her  the  reason, 
she  said,  '  I  am  grieving  for  the  loss  of  my  only 
son.  I  do  not  know  if  he  is  alive  or  dead,  and  I 
dare  not  inquire  after  him,  because  my  father  swore 
when  he  heard  of  his  flight  that  he  would  cease  to 
acknowledge  me  as  his  daughter  if  I  ever  mentioned 
my  son's  name  again.  I  have  mourned  for  him 
in  secret  for  a  whole  year,  and  dare  not  speak  of 
my  grief  to  any  one,  for  every  one  here  fears  my 
father,  and  would  probably  betray  me  to  him.  The 
Lord  be  praised  who  sent  you  here,  for  I  feel  sure 
that  you  will  take  pity  on  me,  and  bring  me  news 
of  my  son  ! '  She  then  wept  bitterly,  and  fainted,  and 
I  pitied  her  so  much  that,  as  soon  as  she  recovered, 
I  promised  her  that  I  would  set  out  immediately  in 
search  of  AH,  and  would  not  return  until  I  brought 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  Son.  107 

him  back,  or  brought  news  of  him.  I  flew  from  one 
island  to  another  till  I  arrived  in  this  island,  where 
I  heard  that  Ali  had  been  changed  into  a  statue 
by  Queen  Shuba.  I  searched  the  whole  forest  in 
hopes  of  finding  the  statue,  in  order  to  take  it  back 
to  Queen  Farha,  who  could  easily  restore  her  son 
to  his  former  shape,  but  two  genii,  whom  I  take  to 
be  the  guards  of  the  statue,  rushed  upon  me  in 
such  a  threatening  manner  that  I  was  obliged  to 
take  to  flight,  and  I  am  still  in  terror  lest  they 
should  overtake  me." 

When  Duha  had  ended  her  story,  Sader  observed, 
"  By  Allah,  our  meeting  here  is  a  wonderful  coin 
cidence  !  We  are  both  seeking  the  same  object;  for 
Queen  Farha  is  lamenting  the  loss  of  her  son  ;  and 
Queen  Turaia,  who  is  mourning  for  the  loss  of  her 
husband,  has  sent  me  in  search  of  him.  As  we 
are  engaged  in  the  same  quest,  we  had  better 
remain  together,  for  we  may  be  useful  to  each  other  ; 
and  when  we  have  once  found  Ali,  we  can  set  the 
minds  of  both  queens  at  rest." 

"  We  may  attain  our  end  at  once  by  an  easy 
stratagem,"  said  Duha  ;  "bind  me  with  cords,  and 
lead  me  back  to  the  two  genii  who  are  pursuing  me. 
Then  greet  them  in  a  friendly  manner,  and  say, 
'  Brothers,  here  is  the  fugitive  who  has  just  escaped 
you.  She  seems  to  have  some  evil  design,  for  she 


io8  New  Arabian  Nights. 

tried  to  avoid  rne  also,  and  refused  to  answer  my 
questions ;  but  I  struck  her  in  the  face  with  my 
wings,  and  felled  her  to  the  ground,  and  now  I  bring 
her  back  to  you,  to  be  dealt  with  as  she  deserves.' 
Thus  you  will  gain  their  confidence,  and  it  will  be 
easy  for  you,  if  needful,  to  protect  me  from  any 
excessive  punishment." 

Sader  admired  the  trick,  and  immediately  threw 
a  rope  round  the  neck  of  Duha,  and  led  her  to  the 
hill  where  the  two  genii  were  standing.  As  soon  as 
he  saw  them,  he  cried  out,  "  Dear  brothers,  I  bring 
you  here  the  suspicious  character  who  has  just  fled 
from  you.  She  wished  to  avoid  me,  and  refused  to 
tell  me  who  she  was,  so  I  knocked  her  down,  and 
bound  her  fast" 

"  We  had  ceased  to  concern  ourselves  about  her," 
said  one  of  the  genii ;  "  but  as  you  have  taken  the 
trouble  to  bring  her  back,  she  shall  be  punished  as 
she  deserves  ;  come  with  us  to  the  caravansera." 

Sader  followed  them,  leading  Duha  by  the  rope, 
until  they  reached  a  very  magnificent  castle,  with 
innumerable  apartments ;  it  lay  between  two  high 
mountains.  When  they  arrived,  the  two  genii  ordered 
food  and  wine,  and  ate  and  drank  with  Sader.  In 
the  course  of  their  conversation,  Sader  ascertained 
that  they  had  really  been  stationed  there  by  Shuba 
to  prevent  any  one  from  approaching  the  statue. 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  Son.  109 

This  gave  him  an  opportunity  to  ask  to  accompany 
them  next  day.  Duha  was  still  bound,  but  she 
presently  began  to  weep,  and  knelt  down  before 
the  two  genii,  saying,  "  If  you  wish  Well  to  Shuba, 
you  must  not  treat  me  as  an  enemy,  for  I  am  one 
of  her  friends  whom  she  desired  to  send  to  her  father 
that  he  might  protect  her  against  Turaia,  if  she  heard 
of  what  she  had  done  to  Ali ;  but  if  you  will  send 
another  messenger,  I  would  gladly  stay  with  you,  and 
serve  you." 

The  genii,  who  were  now  in  a  good  humour,  believed 
Duha's  story,  took  the  cord  from  her  neck,  and 
allowed  her  to  accompany  them  to  the  wood  next 
day.  When  they  sat  down  near  the  statue,  Sader 
said,  "What  can  the  poor  fellow  have  done,  that 
Queen  Shuba  should  have  changed  him  into  a  stone, 
which  still  feels  heat  and  cold  and  hunger  and  thirst 
but  is  incapable  of  movement  ?  " 

"I  don't  know  his  offence,"  answered  one  of  the 
guards;  "perhaps  he  forgot  his  station,  and  made 
love  to  the  queen." 

"That  is  absurd,"  said  Duha,  "for  Ali  loves  Queen 
Turaia,  and  has  suffered  the  greatest  dangers  on  her 
account ;  it  is  more  likely  that  Shuba  was  jealous 
of  Queen  Turaia,  for  Ali  is  said  to  be  the  handsomest 
man  in  the  world." 

"  If  so,"  said  the  guard,  who  was  himself  in  love 
11 


no  New  Arabian  Nights. 

with  Shuba,  "  Shuba  may  keep  watch  on  him  herself, 
if  she  likes,"  and  he  and  his  companion  walked  off. 

Sader  immediately  went  to  the  statue,  took  it  on 
his  back,  and  was  about  to  carry  it  to  Turaia  to 
disenchant,  but  Duha  interposed,  saying,  "  Not  so ; 
I  must  bring  him  to  his  mother  Farha,  for  Ali  was 
rescued  by  my  artifice.  Besides,  the  sorrow  of  an 
unhappy  mother  for  a  lost  son  is  more  bitter  than 
that  of  a  wife  for  her  husband." 

"  I  think  you  must  have  lost  your  senses,"  answered 
Sader ;  "  do  you  suppose  that  after  I  have  sought 
for  Ali  so  long  through  all  countries,  I  am  going  to 
give  him  up  to  you,  when  I  have  found  him  ?  Come 
with  me  to  Turaia,  and  afterwards  we  will  all  visit 
his  mother  Farha  together." 

But  when  Duha  saw  that  Sader  would  not  yield, 
she  rushed  upon  him  like  lightning,  struck  him  a 
blow  in  , the  eye  with  her  wing,  which  knocked  him 
down,  and  exclaimed,  "  Woe  to  you,  you  dog  ;  I  will 
teach  you  not  to  behave  like  this  to  a  lady ! " 

She  snatched  the  statue  out  of  his  hand,  and  was 
about  to  fly  to  Queen  Farha,  when  Turaia  arrived 
on  the  scene,  and  cried  out,  "  Halt  there,  or  die  !  " 

Duha  turned  round,  and  seeing  Queen  Turaia, 
answered,  "  Pardon,  gracious  queen !  By  the  seal 
of  Solomon,  I  would  have  done  Ali  no  harm,  but 
only  wished  to  fulfil  my  oath  by  taking  him  to  his 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  Son.  1 1 1 

mother  Farha.  Forgive  me,  and  remember  that  I 
have  only  done  my  duty  as  the  servant  and  friend 
of  Queen  Farha." 

"You  have  done  your  duty,"  said  Turaia,  "but 
now  give  Sader  the  statue,  that  he  may  carry  it  to 
some  place  where  we  may  be  safe  from  interruption  ; 
and  you  may  either  go  at  once  to  take  Queen  Farha 
news  of  her  soil ;  or  you  may  come  with  me,  until 
AH  is  restored  to  his  former  shape." 

"  Mighty  queen,"  said  Duha,  "  I  will  send  a  mes 
senger  to  my  mistress  immediately ;  but  I  myself 
will  remain  with  you  for  the  present." 

They  then  went  to  a  cavern,  whither  Sader  had 
already  carried  the  statue.  Turaia  stroked  her 
hand  over  its  face,  took  a  little  earth  which  was 
sticking  to  it,  pronounced  some  sacred  names,  and 
scattered  the  soil  on  the  ground  ;  whereupon  a  green 
plant  with  a  red  flower  sprang  up  immediately. 
Turaia  gathered  the  flower,  and  squeezed  an  oily 
juice  from  it,  which  she  rubbed  over  the  statue,  and 
said,  "^By  the  power  of  these  holy  names,  and  the 
influence  of  this  wonderful  plant,  return  to  your 
former  shape ! " 

Upon  this,  Ali's  tongue  was  loosed,  and  he  cried 
out,  "There  is  but  one  God,  and  Mohammed  is  His 
prophet !  God  is  Almighty,  and  He  raises  the  dead 
again  by  His  will !  " 


1 1 2  New  Arabian  Nights. 

When  Turaia  saw  that  her  husband  had  regained 
his  proper  form,  she  ordered  Sader  to  carry  him  to 
her  apartments,  whither  she  and  Duha  followed. 
They  spent  the  greater  part  of  the  night  in  feasting 
and  rejoicing,  and  in  relating  their  mutual  adventures  ; 
and  it  was  long  past  midnight  when  Sader  and  Duha 
withdrew,  and  they  retired  to  rest.  But  when  Ali 
awoke,  he  found  himself  between  heaven  and  earth 
on  the  shoulders  of  one  of  the  flying  genii.  He 
immediately  pronounced  the  sentence  which  protects 
all  who  use  it :  "  There  is  no  strength  nor  power  but 
in  Almighty  God  ! "  and  then  asked  his  bearer,  "Who 
are  you,  and  whither  are  you  carrying  me  ?  " 

She  answered,  "  Fear  nothing,  I  am  Duha,  the 
friend  of  your  mother  Farha,  to  whom  I  am  carrying 
you.  I  only  followed  Queen  Turaia  from  policy, 
that  I  might  seize  the  first  favourable  opportunity 
of  stealing  you  from  her  again  ;  for  your  mother 
suffers  too  much  from  your  absence.  But  as  soon 
as  we  are  in  safety,  I  will  send  a  messenger  to  Queen 
Turaia,  to  ask  her  to  follow  us." 

When  Ali  recognised  Duha,  he  was  satisfied,  and 
allowed  her  to  proceed  on  her  journey  without  op 
position.  He  was  already  rejoicing  in  the  idea  of 
soon  seeing  his  mother  again,  and  at  the  approaching 
end  of  all  his  troubles,  when  they  came  to  the  Island 
of  Lions,  above  which  they  were  obliged  to  pass. 


The  Adventures  of  Z alter  and  his  Son.  113 

Suddenly  a  host  of  flying  genii,  with  King  Jahak 
at  their  head,  surrounded  them  as  closely  as  a  ring 
surrounds  a  finger. 

"We  are  lost!"  exclaimed  Duha,  "for  this  is  the 
prince  to  whom  I  was  betrothed,  and  from  whom 
I  fled  to  your  mother.  We  are  alone  and  unarmed, 
and  cannot  escape  him.  May  God  take  pity  on  us 
and  on  your  mother ! " 

She  had  scarcely  spoken  when  two  genii,  as  large 
as  the  highest  mountains,  rushed  upon  her,  and 
bound  her  hands  behind  her  back  with  a  heavy  chain. 
Then  they  seized  on  Ali,  and  asked,  "Who  are  you  ?" 

"  I  am  Ali,  the  son  of  Farha,"  he  answered. 

"If  you  are  Ali,"  said  they,  "it  is  on  your  account 
that  so  many  countries  have  been  devastated,  so 
many  kings  dethroned,  and  so  many  genii  slain ! 
By  the  seal  of  Solomon,  you  shall  pay  dearly  for 
the  mischief  which  you  have  wrought !  " 

A  genius  from  Mount  Kaf,  at  a  nod  from  King 
Jahak,  was  already  on  the  point  of  putting  Ali  and 
Duha  to  death,  when  suddenly  a  terrific  tumult 
arose.  Two  officers  rushed  forward  to  reconnoitre, 
and  then  exclaimed  to  the  king,  "  Fly  this  instant, 
or  you  are  lost ;  your  best  troops  are  already  slain 
or  made  prisoners,  for  Queen  Farha  has  fallen  upon 
them  as  suddenly  as  the  lightning  from  heaven,  to 
rescue  her  son  ! " 


H4  New  Arabian  Nig/its. 

But  before  Jahak  could  resolve  on  anything,  Farha 
herself  appeared,  surrounded  by  numerous  kings  of 
the  genii.  Jahak  was  led  into  his  capital,  loaded 
with  the  same  chains  with  which  Duha  had  been 
bound,  and  Farha  carried  her  son  thither  in  her  own 
arms. 

The  unexpected  arrival  of  Farha  happened  in  the 
following  manner.  When  Duha's  messenger  in 
formed  her  that  AH  was  with  Queen  Turaia,  she 
feared  that  he  would  be  so  strongly  guarded  that 
Duha  would  have  no  opportunity  of  carrying  him 
away.  So  without  informing  her  father,  she  set 
out  on  the  road  to  the  Island  of  Perfection  with 
an  escort  of  several  thousand  genii ;  and  she  came 
near  the  Island  of  Lions  just  at  the  time  that 
Jahak  and  his  followers  had  seized  Ali  and  Duha. 

When  they  arrived  at  King  Jahak's  palace,  Queen 
Farha  made  Ali  sit  by  her  side  in  full  court,  and 
relate  all  his  adventures.  But  before  he  had  finished, 
Duha  entered,  and  announced  the  arrival  of  Queen 
Turaia,  with  an  army  of  genii.  When  Turaia 
awoke  in  the  morning,  and  missed  Ali,  she  thought 
at  first  that  her  sister  Shuba  had  played  her  another 
trick;  but  when  she  found  that  Duha  had  also 
disappeared,  she  concluded  that  she  had  carried 
Ali  away  to  his  mother.  Apart  from  this,  she 
found  her  stay  with  her  sister  was  disagreeable,  so 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  7iis  Son.  1 1 5 

she  summoned  her  followers  who  had  escorted  her, 
and  commanded  them  to  accompany  her  to  the 
Coral  Island.  When  she  heard  that  Farha  had 
rescued  AH  and  Duha  from  King  Jahak,  she  fol 
lowed  to  Jahak 's  palace,  and  announced  her  arrival. 
Farha  sent  Ali  to  welcome  Turaia,  and  he  rushed 
out  to  meet  her,  and  introduced  her  to  his  mother 
as  his  wife.  They  all  praised  God  for  this  wonderful 
meeting ;  and  they  rewarded  Duha  for  her  faithful 
service  by  presenting  her  with  the  throne  of  King 
Jahak. 

They  -remained  together  all  day,  but  towards 
evening,  Ali,  who  wished  to  be  alone  with  Turaia, 
asked  her  to  walk  with  him  a  short  distance  from 
the  towii;  leaving  Farha  and  Duha  behind.  They 
were  so  happy  together  that  they  wandered  a  great 
distance  through  the  gardens  surrounding  the  town, 
and  the  moon  had  long  been  shining  in  the  heavens 
before  they  thought  of  returning.  In  endeavour 
ing  to  return  to  the  town  in  the  darkness,  they 
lost  their  way,  and  wandered  about  till  they  saw 
a  magnificent  tent  pitched,  but  no  one  near.  Ali 
then  said, — 

"  Let  us  pass  the  night  in  this  tent  rather  than 
in  the  open  air,  for  we  shall  not  easily  find  our 
way  back  to  the  town  in  this  darkness." 

Turaia  agreed,  and  they  entered  the   tent,  which 


ii6  New  Arabian  Nights. 

they  found  beautifully  furnished  with  carpets  and 
divans.  It  was  illuminated  with  perfumed  wax- 
lights,  and  the  tables  were  loaded  with  delicate 
food  and  choice  wines  ;  in  short,  everything  was 
fitted  to  rejoice  the  heart  of  a  weary  traveller.  But 
they  had  scarcely  sat  down  when  two  men  entered ; 
accompanied  by  four  flying  genii.  They  were 
Jahak's  brothers,  who  had  fled  from  the  town  after 
the  defeat  in  the  morning,  and  had  pitched  their 
tent  here,  intending  to  fly  farther  on  the  following 
day.  As  soon  as  they  recognised  Turaia  and  AH, 
they  laid  hands  upon  them,  exclaiming,  "  Now  we 
can  avenge  our  brother."  AH  was  handed  over 
to  one  of  the  genii,  with  the  words,  "  This  fellow 
brings  ruin  and  desolation  wherever  he  goes.  Carry 
him  beyond  Mount  Kaf,  that  the  curse  of  God 
may  fall  upon  him!" 

The  genius  took  AH  on  his  back,  and  flew  with 
him  so  high  that  the  smallest  stars  seemed  like 
great  mountains,  and  he  heard  the  angels  singing 
the  praises  of  God  in  heaven.  Upon  this,  he  cried 
out,  "There  is  but  one  God,  and  Mohammed  is 
His  prophet !"  He  had  scarcely  spoken  when  a 
fiery  arrow  struck  the  genius,  and  reduced  him  to 
ashes.  AH  was  driven  about  in  the  air  by  the 
winds  for  a  long  time,  but  at  length  he  fell  on 
the  terrace  of  a  house  in  Damascus.  The  noise 


AT    LENGTH    HE   FELL  ON    THE   TERRACE  OF  A   HOUSE. 


117 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  Son.  1 1 9 

of  his  fall  awakened  the  master  of  the  house,  and  as 
his  premises  had  lately  been  broken  into,  he  roused 
his  servants,  who  accompanied  him  to  the  terrace. 
When  they  saw  Ali,  they  supposed  him  to  be  a 
thief,  so  two  on  each  side  rushed  upon  him  at 
once,  and  they  bound  him  with  cords,  and  left  him 
in  the  courtyard  till  morning. 

"  We  have  certainly  caught  the  thief  who  robbed 
me  the  other  day,"  said  the  master.  The  police 
sergeant  asked  Ali  who  he  was,  and  when  he 
answered  that  he  was  Ali,  the  son  of  Farha,  the 
Queen  of  the  Coral  Island,  he  laughed,  and  ordered 
him  to  be  beaten  until  he  should  confess  his 
real  name,  and  should  restore  the  property  which 
he  had  stolen.  But  at  this  moment  Zaher  himself 
entered,  and  recognising  the  seal  ring  which  he 
had  given  to  Farha  on  his  wedding  night,  he  started, 
and  inquired,  "  Who  is  this  young  man  ?" 

"  He  is  a  thief,"  answered  the  police  sergeant, 
"who  was  seized  in  the  act  of  breaking  into  this 
man's  house." 

"  But  the  young  man  does  not  look  like  a  thief," 
persisted  Zaher ;  "  have  you  asked  him  his  name, 
and  residence  ?" 

"He  calls  himself  Ali,  the  son  of  Farha,  the 
Queen  of  the  Coral  Island,"  said  the  sergeant, 
laughing.  At  this,  Zaher  fell  on  Ali's  neck,  ex- 


I2O  New  Arabian  Nights. 

claiming,  "  He  has  spoken  truth,  and  he  is  my  son  ; 
I  know  him  by  his  seal  ring."  Zaher  then  asked 
Ali  to  inform  the  police  how  he  came  upon  the 
terrace.  He  narrated  the  history  of  his  life ;  and 
Zaher  reproached  the  sergeant  for  his  hasty  sen 
tence,  and  took  Ali  to  his  own  house. 

On  the  following  day,  Zaher  introduced  his  son 
to  the  king,  who  took  such  a  fancy  to  him  that 
he  immediately  offered  him  an  important  post. 
Shortly  afterwards,  Ali  was  out  riding  with  the 
king  and  talking  about  the  genii,  when  the  king 
said,  "  I  should  like  to  see  them  very  much  ;  what 
are  they  like?" 

"My  lord,"  replied  Ali,  "they  are  of  different 
forms  ;  some  are  like  wild  beasts,  others  like  birds, 
and  others  again  like  men." 

Ali  had  scarcely  spoken  when  the  king  ex 
claimed, — 

"  Look,  Ali,  what  a  dark  cloud  has  suddenly 
appeared  in  the  distance,  and  the  sun  is  already 
hidden  behind  it !" 

Ali  looked,  and  replied,  "  That  is  no  cloud,  great 
king,  but  an  army  of  the  frying  genii  which  is 
approaching!" 

Presently  the  army  separated,  and  surrounded 
the  city,  and  a  company  of  about  a  hundred  ap 
proached  the  gate.  Ali  went  up  to  the  leader, 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  Son.  \  2 1 

and  asked  him  what  he  wanted  in  Damascus  ?  He 
answered, — 

"  I  desire  to  announce  the  arrival  of  Queen 
Farha  and  Queen  Turaia  to  the  king." 

"  Here  is  the  king,"  said  Ali,  and  he  then  asked 
permission  to  go  to  meet  the  queens. 

The  king  consented,  and  rode  back  alone  to  the 
city,  when  Ali  was  conducted  to  the  queens.  They 
both  fainted  with  joy,  when  they  saw  him  again, 
and  after  he  had  revived  them  by  sprinkling  them 
with  rose-water,  he  asked  how  they  had  come  to 
Damascus  to  search  for  him. 

"Know,"  replied  Farha,  "that  when  you  and 
Turaia  remained  out  so  late  at  night  on  the  Island 
of  Lions,  I  asked  Duha  to  take  some  powerful 
genii,  and  go  to  look  for  you  in  the  direction 
in  which  you  had  gone.  She  flew  about  in  the 
gardens  for  a  long  time,  till  at  last  a  pitiful  cry 
guided  her  to  a  handsome  tent  where  Jahak's 
brothers  were  beating  Turaia.  Duha  immediately 
overthrew  the  brothers,  and  her  companions  bound 
them  fast,  and  brought  them  to  me.  I  then  heard 
that  they  had  ordered  you  to  be  carried  beyond 
Mount  Kaf.  I  had  little  hope  of  ever  seeing  you 
again,  but  I  begged  the  faithful  Duha  to  follow 
you  at  once,  in  case  she  might  possibly  overtake  you 

before  you  reached  your  destined  place  of  imprison- 

12 


122  New  Arabian  Nights. 

ment.  She  obeyed,  and  flew  with  all  her  speed 
in  the  direction  of  Mount  Kaf.  As  she  was  passing 
over  Syria,  she  met  an  old  friend  who  asked  her 
what  brought  her  so  far  from  home  ? 

"'I  am  pursuing  a  genius,'  replied  Duha,  'who 
is  carrying  Ali,  the  son  of  Farha,  beyond  Mount 
Kaf.' 

" '  If  that  is  your  quest,'  said  her  friend,  '  you 
need  not  go  farther,  for  a  genius  who  was  carrying 
a  man  has  just  been  burned  by  a  fiery  arrow,  and 
the  man  fell  into  Damascus.  Go  and  inquire  after 
him  there,  for  it  is  probably  this  Ali  of  whom  you 
are  in  search.' 

"  Duha  immediately  went  to  Damascus  in  a  human 
form,  and  passed  by  a  coffee-house,  where  she  heard 
the  people  talking  of  the  arrival  of  the  son  of 
Zaher  from  the  Coral  Island.  She  immediately 
returned  to  us  with  the  joyful  news,  and  we  re 
solved  to  follow  you  here." 

Ali  then  related  to  his  mother  how  the  wonderful 
arrival  of  his  father  had  rescued  him  from  the 
beating,  under  which  he  would  certainly  have  died. 
After  this,  they  went  to  the  king,  who  had  already 
informed  Zaher  of  the  arrival  of  his  wife,  and  had 
invited  him  to  his  palace.  Zaher  burst  into  tears, 
when  he  saw  Farha  again,  and  lamented  that  they 
had  been  separated  so  long ;  but  she  reproached 


The  Adventures  of  Zaher  and  his  Son.  123 

him  bitterly  for  never  making  any  attempt  to  return 
to  her.  The  king  gave  them  all  a  magnificent 
reception,  and  sympathised  heartily  in  their  happi 
ness.  He  succeeded  in  reconciling  Farha  to  her 
husband,  and  she  consented  to  remain  three  days 
at  Damascus,  but  was  unwilling  to  stay  longer,  on 
account  of  her  father's  anxiety.  But  Turaia  deter 
mined  to  stay  permanently,  and  contented  herself 
with  sending  a  messenger  to  King  Farkad  to  inform 
him  of  her  intention.  She  lived  with  AH  in  the 
greatest  happiness,  until  death  took  her  from  him. 

When  AH  related  this  story  to  the  Caliph  Ab- 
delmelik,  the  son  of  Merwan,  the  Caliph  asked  if 
Turaia  had  left  him  any  family ;  upon  which  he 
introduced  his  two  sons  to  the  court.  The  Caliph 
gave  each  of  them  a  costly  robe  ;  and  to  AH  he 
gave  a  robe  of  honour,  and  an  important  office, 
and  sent  for  him  to  tell  him  stories  whenever  he 
felt  dull. 

This  is  all  which  has  been  related  to  us  con 
cerning  the  history  of  Zaher,  of  Damascus,  and  his 
son  AH.  Praise  be  to  the  only  God,  and  honour 
to  our  Lord,  His  apostle  Mohammed,  with  his 
relations  and  companions,  until  the  Day  of  Judg 
ment  ! 


JOODAR  OF  CAIRO,  AND  MAHMOOD 
OF   TUNIS. 


:ULTAN  ZAHER  BYBARS  was  loved  and 
honoured  throughout  all  Kgypt  for  his 
justice  and  other  good  qualities,  and  especially 
for  the  solicitude  which  he  exhibited  for  the 
prosperity  of  all  his  subjects,  whether  rich  or 
poor,  noble  or  insignificant.  He  appointed  a  police- 
inspector  to  watch  over  Cairo,  who  surpassed  all  his 
contemporaries  in  craftiness  and  ability.  He  rested 
neither  night  nor  day,  but  watched  over  the  peace 
and  safety  of  the  city  without  intermission  ;  and 
permitted  no  good  deed  to  remain  unrewarded,  nor 
any  crime  to  escape  punishment. 

One  day,  when  he  was  with  the  Sultan,  who  was 
sitting  on  his  throne,  and  surrounded  by  the  greatest 
dignitaries  of  the  state,  five  old  men  with  beards 
as  white  as  snow  entered  the  divan,  and  requested 

an  audience. 

124 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Makmood  of  Tunis.    \  2  5 

"Who  has  wronged  you?"  asked  the  police- 
inspector. 

They  kissed  the  ground  before  him,  and  -one  of 
them  replied  :  "  Know,  O  my  master,  that  we  have 
a  strange  complaint  to  make,  which  compels  us  to 
appear  in  a  court  of  justice  for  the  first  time  in  our 
lives.  We  are  five  brothers,  and  live  together  in 
one  house  near  the  Lake  of  Elephants.  We  lived 
formerly  in  great  prosperity,  but  our  property 
dwindled  away  little  by  little,  till  we  became  very 
poor.  One  evening,  when  we  had  just  eaten  the 
last  scrap,  and  had  come  to  the  sad  resolution  that 
we  must  go  and  beg  on  the  morrow,  a  young  man 
rode  up  to  our  door,  on  a  mule.  He  dismounted, 
gave  the  mule  to  his  servant  to  hold,  and  came 
to  speak  to  us.  He  wore  a  green  robe,  red  silken 
trousers,  and  a  turban  such  as  they  wear  in  Yemen. 
After  friendly  greeting  and  salutations,  we  asked  if 
we  could  be  of  any  service  to  him. 

"  '  I  am  your  neighbour,'  he  answered  ;  '  I  live  on 
the  other  side  of  the  Lake  of  Elephants,  and  wish 
to  be  your  guest  this  evening.' 

"We  replied  that  he  was  very  welcome,  but  that  we 
had  nothing  to  offer  him  this  evening,  and  would 
therefore  wish  him  to  defer  his  visit  till  to-morrow. 

"At  this  he  smiled  and  said  :  '  By  Allah,  you  must 
be  my  guests  to-night,  and  come  home  with  me.' 


126  New  Arabian  Nights. 

"We  put  our  trust  in  God  and  went  with  him, 
though  he  was  a  stranger  to  us.  He  stopped  in  front 
of  a  handsome  house  and  knocked  gently  at  the 
door,  which  was  immediately  opened,  when  he  bade 
us  enter  in  God's  name.  He  led  us  into  a  hall  which 
was  furnished  with  the  richest  divans  and  carpets, 
and  said :  '  Consider  this  house  as  your  own,  and 
myself  as  your  servant/  We  kissed  his  hands  and 
feet,  and  answered  :  '  We  are  ready  to  accomplish  all 
your  wishes,  and  you  have  only  to  command  us.'  He 
then  went  to  a  closed  door  on  the  right  of  the  hall  and 
called,  upon  which  it  opened,  and  an  Indian  slave- 
girl  appeared,  with  black  Babylonian  eyes,  beautifully 
arched  eyebrows,  cheeks  like  roses,  lips  like  coral, 
and  teeth  like  pearls.  As  the  poet  says,  '  If  an 
idolater  saw  her,  he  would  abandon  his  idols  and 
worship  her  only,  and  the  monk  who  saw  her  in  the 
west  would  forget  to  pray  towards  the  east  and  follow 
her.' 

"  This  beautiful  girl  said  sweetly  to  the  young  man  : 
'  What  does  my  lord  desire  ? ' 

"  And  he  answered  :  '  These  men  are  my  guests ; 
bring  them  something  to  eat/ 

"  The  slave-girl  disappeared,  and  soon  came  back 
with  fowls,  rice,  and  confectionery,  and  invited  us  to 
eat. 

"  When  we  had  eaten  enough  and  had  thanked  God, 


Jootlar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tunis.    127 

the  maiden  brought  us  a  gold  basin  and  a  silver  jug, 
filled  with  rose-water ;  and  after  we  had  washed,  she 
brought  a  bundle  containing  five  robes  for  us  to  put 
on.  The  young  man  then  invited  us  to  sit  on  the 
divans,  but  they  were  of  such  costly  material  and  so 
richly  ornamented,  that  we  said  :  *  Such  divans  are 
for  kings,  and  are  not  suitable  for  poor  people  like 
us/ 

"  But  the  young  man  only  gave  us  a  friendly  look, 
and*  said :  '  Sit  down,  and  do  not  waste  so  many 
words.1  He  then  went  to  another  door  and  called, 
upon  which  a  Greek  slave-girl,  looking  as  if  she  had 
just  come  from  Paradise,  entered  from  an  adjoin 
ing  room.  Her  beauty  was  indescribable,  but  we 
especially  noticed  her  slender  figure,  and  her  proud 
and  yet  graceful  carriage.  When  she  stood  before 
the  youth  she  said  :  '  My  lord,  we  have  not  enjoyed 
much  of  your  company  to-day ;  where  have  you 
tarried  so  long  ? ' 

"'My  guests  have  taken  up  much  of  my  time,'  he 
replied  ;  '  bring  them  something  to  drink.' 

"  She  then  retired,  but  returned  immediately,  ac 
companied  by  two  slave-girls  carrying  golden  cans, 
silver  goblets,  crystal  glasses,  and  Chinese  cups. 

"  The  Greek  filled  the  goblets  with  wine,  the  glasses 
with  all  sorts  of  odoriferous  flowers,  and  the  cups  with 
the  choicest  dried  fruits.  We  were  so  amazed  at  all 


128  New  Arabian  Nights. 

this  luxury  that  we  bit  our  fingers  and  thought,  'Are 
we  asleep  or  awake  ? '  Then  the  young  man  went 
to  another  door  and  called,  when  a  maiden  appeared 
resembling  a  moon  ;  with  a  shining  forehead,  deli 
cately  tinted  cheeks,  a  glance  more  piercing  than  the 
sharpest  sword,  and  a  form  as  slender  as  a  willow. 
She  was  adorned  like  a  bride,  and  held  an  Indian 
lute  in  her  hand. 

"  '  What  does  my  lord  desire  ? '  she  asked. 

"  'Sit  down  and  play  something  to  my  guests/  he 
answered. 

"Then  she  began  to  sing  and  play  so  that  the  whole 
house  shook.  After  this  the  youth  called  four  other 
maidens,  each  of  whom  brought  a  different  musical 
instrument,  and  we  passed  the  night  with  wine, 
music,  and  singing,  such  as  we  had  never  enjoyed 
in  our  lives  before.  But  what  was  still  more  extra 
ordinary,  when  we  were  about  to  take  our  leave,  the 
young  man  presented  us  with  a  golden  and  a  silver 
dish,  filled  with  the  choicest  provisions  and  fruit  for 
our  family,  and  he  gave  us  another  invitation  for  the 
following  evening.  We  kissed  his  hands  and  feet, 
thanked  him  for  his  sumptuous  entertainment,  and 
promised  to  come  again.  On  the  following  evening 
we  carried  the  dishes  with  us  under  our  cloaks,  and 
went  back  to  the  rich  young  man's  house.  He  gave 
us  as  friendly  a  reception  as  on  the  first  day,  and 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Makmood  of  Tunis.    129 

entertained  us  again  in  the  same  manner.  This 
went  on  for  fifty-eight  days,  which  we  shall  never 
forget,  for  he  always  entertained  us  with  still  more 
costly  provisions,  better  wines,  and  the  voices  of  yet 
more  beautiful  maidens,  whose  ornaments  were  worth 
more  than  all  the  revenues  of  Egypt.  The  young 
man  made  such  a  display  of  wealth  before  us  that  at 
last  we  became  suspicious,  and  thought  no  one  but 
a  thief  or  a  magician  could  possess  such  riches. 
Therefore,  noble  Emir,  we  come  to  call  your  atten 
tion  to  this  young  man's  extravagance." 

The  police-inspector  asked  them  to  show  him  the 
house,  and  on  the  following  day  he  stationed  a 
hundred  soldiers  round  it,  while  he  himself  and 
an  officer  entered  and  requested  the  young  man 
to  accompany  him  to  the  presence  of  the  Sultan. 

"  Willingly,"  replied  he ;  and  he  locked  up  his 
house,  put  the  key  in  his  pocket,  and  went  with  the 
police-inspector. 

On  the  way  the  latter  said  :  "  If  you  will  tell  me 
your  history,  and  how  you  became  possessed  of  such 
vast  wealth,  I  will  stand  your  friend  with  the  Sultan." 

"  I  thank  you  for  your  friendly  intentions,"  re 
turned  the  young  man,  "  but  I  wo\ild  rather  relate 
the  whole  history  of  my  life  to  the  Sultan  himself." 

When  they  arrived  in  the  Sultan's  presence  he 
commenced  his  story  as  follows  : — 


130  New  Arabian  Nights. 

Know,  O  mighty  Sultan,  that  when  my  father 
was  sixty-five  years  of  age  he  was  attacked  with  a 
dangerous  illness,  and  said  to  my  mother  :  "  O  mother 
of  Joodar"  (for  I  was  his  only  child),  "  know  that  my 
death  is  near  (praise  to  Him  who  alone  lives  for  ever!), 
and  I  quit  this  transitory  world  to  pass  to  a  better 
and  everlasting  home.  I  thank  God  who  has  kept 
me  strong  and  well  until  now,  and  has  always  en 
abled  me  to  provide  for  you  and  for  my  son  Joodar. 
Unfortunately  I  have  not  been  able  to  save  much, 
but  I  have  saved  one  hundred  and  ten  golden  dinars. 
Give  the  hundred  dinars  to  my  son,  and  use  the  ten 
for  the  necessary  funeral  expenses.  Let  my  son 
employ  the  hundred  dinars  in  some  business,  lest  he 
should  become  poor,  for  he  who  has  no  money  is 
despised  in  Egypt.  But  if  Joodar  should  become 
poor,  let  him  become  a  fisherman,  for  this  will  bring 
him  good  luck.  He  will  find  a  fishing  net  in  a  box  in 
the  cupboard."  My  father  died  three  days  afterwards, 
and  we  mourned  for  him  and  buried  him,  and  my 
mother  fulfilled  all  his  instructions.  But  as  soon  as 
I  received  the  hundred  dinars  I  spent  one  day  at 
Boolak,  and  another  on  the  island  of  Rhoda  among 
the  sailors.  I  did  no  work,  and  passed  my  time  in 
feasting  and  idleness,  notwithstanding  the  warnings 
of  my  mother,  until  at  the  end  of  three  months  I 
had  nothing  left.  Then  T  went  to  my  mother  and 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Makmood  of  Timis.    \  3 1 

complained  of  my  poverty  and  distress.  She  replied  : 
"  How  is  it  that  you  would  always  keep  bad  company, 
notwithstanding  all  my  warnings?" 

"  No  one  can  avoid  what  is  decreed  for  him,"  said 
I  ;  "  what  has  happened,  has  happened  ;  but  now 
give  me  some  money  to  buy  something  to  eat." 

"  I  am  as  poor  as  yourself,"  said  my  mother  ;  "  I 
have  not  enough  to  buy  a  morsel  of  bread,  or  even 
a  mustard-seed,  and  I  have  nothing  whatever  in  the 
house,  so  you  must  obey  your  father's  wishes,  and 
become  a  fisherman." 

I  opened  the  box  which  my  father  had  left  for  me, 
and  took  out  the  net,  saying,  "  We  proceed  from 
God,  and  to  Him  do  we  return." 

I  took  leave  of  my  mother,  went  to  Old  Cairo,  got 
into  a  boat,  and  pushed  off,  trusting  in  the  protection 
of  God.  I  cast  the  net  several  times,  but  it  always 
came  up  empty,  although  I  tried  several  places  which 
were  seldom  without  fish.  I  was  much  distressed 
on  account  of  my  poor  mother,  and  nearly  cried 
my  eyes  out  of  my  head.  I  then  folded  up  my  net, 
and  endeavoured  to  sell  or  exchange  it  among  the 
fishermen ;  but  no  one  would  give  me  anything  foi 
it.  But  as  I  could  not  make  up  my  mind  to  beg, 
I  went  to  the  little  Lake  of  Karoon,  which  is  some 
times  very  shallow.  But  this  time  I  found  it  full  of 
water  to  the  very  edge,  and  it  boiled  and  foamed  like 


132  New  Arabian  Nights. 


the  water  in  a  boiling  kettle.  I  thought  I  might  be 
more  fortunate  here  than  in  the  Nile,  and  cast  my 
net  again.  But  when  I  drew  it  up  it  was  filled  with 
nothing  but  stones  and  rubbish.  I  cleaned  it  with 
much  difficulty,  and  cast  it  again,  but  I  found  nothing 
in  it  at  all.  I  then  thought  that  I  would  try  my  luck 
just  once  more,  and  if  nothing  came  up  this  time, 
I  would  give  up  fishing  altogether.  But  when  I 
drew  up  the  net  for  the  third  time,  I  brought  up  a 
fish  which  weighed  three  pounds.  I  then  folded  up 
the  net,  took  the  fish  to  my  mother,  and  told  her 
that  I  had  met  with  no  success  in  the  Nile,  but 
had  found  unexpected  good  luck  at  the  Lake  of 
Karoon. 

"  So  is  it,  my  son,"  said  she,  "  that  God  provides 
for  men  in  the  vicissitudes  of  life  ;  but  a  very  wise 
man  has  said  :  'O  man,  when  your  future  looms  before 
you,  cease  vain  efforts,  for  you  will  attain  nothing 
but  what  is  decreed.  Wealth  and  happiness  often 
fall  to  the  lot  of  him  who  does  not  seek  them,  while 
they  fly  from  him  who  pursues  them.'  Thus  you 
see  that  no  one  should  lose  courage,  for  God  never 
forgets  any  one." 

My  mother  then  cleaned  and  cooked  the  fish,  and 
we  ate  with  much  appetite,  and  thanked  God.  On 
the  following  morning  I  took  my  net  on  my  shoulder, 
and  was  about  to  go  to  Boolak,  but  my  mother  said  : 


I  brouglit  up  a  fish  which  weighed  three  pounds." 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tunis.   135 

"You  had  better  go  to  the  Lake  of  Karoon  again, 
and  if  you  should  catch  only  one  fish,  it  will  be 
enough,  till  God  helps  us  in  some  other  way,  or 
decrees  our  death." 

I  followed  my  mother's  advice,  and  went  to  the 
Lake  of  Karoon,  and  cast  my  net.  When  I  drew  it 
up,  it  was  again  full  of  stones,  bones,  and  broken 
crockery.  I  then  thought,  "  What  an  evil  fate  pursues 
me ;  I  think  that  if  I  wanted  to  drink  the  water  of 
the  lake,  it  would  turn  to  fire  ;  if  I  rejoiced  in  the 
course  of  the  sun,  the  sun  would  stand  still  ;  and  if 
I  wanted  to  sail  down  the  river,  the  river  would  flow 
back  to  its  source." 

I  sat  down  in  despair  on  the  banks  of  the  lake, 
resting  my  cheek  on  my  hand,  when  a  Moor  rode  up 
to  me,  mounted  on  a  mule.  The  mule  glided  along 
like  a  sparrow ;  and  although  its  legs  were  as  thick 
as  the  pillars  of  a  temple,  it  seemed  to  float  in  the 
air  like  a  bird.  The  Moor  was  very  fashionably 
dressed,  and  looked  like  an  Emir.  He  dismounted, 
and  saluted  me,  saying  : 

"  Peace  be  to  my  lord  the  pilgrim  !  " 

I  answered  :  "  May  the  peace,  blessing,  and  mercy 
of  God  rest  on  you  also  !  " 

He  then  asked  :  "  Why  do  you  look  so  sad  ?  Have 
you  lost  a  friend  ?  Or  have  you  received  news  of 
the  sinking  of  one  of  your  ships  ? " 


136  New  Arabian  Nights. 

"Neither,  my  lord  the  pilgrim,"  answered  I. 

He  then  asked  :  "  Are  you  not  Joodar,  the  son  of 
the  fisherman  Omar,  of  Cairo  ?  " 

I  looked  at  him  in  astonishment,  and  answered  : 
"  Yes." 

He  then  asked  again  why  I  seemed  so  sorrowful. 
I  lamented  over  the  poverty  of  myself  and  my 
mother,  and  the  ill  success  that  seemed  to  attend  my 
fishing.  When  the  Moor  heard  my  story,  he  laughed, 
and  took  from  his  saddle-bag  a  silken  cord,  which 
had  been  steeped  in  camel's  milk  for  three  days,  and 
appeared  to  be  very  strong,  and  said  :  "  Listen  to  me, 
Joodar ;  your  poverty  will  soon  come  to  an  end 
Bind  me  with  this  cord,  and  throw  me  into  the  lake, 
then  spread  your  net  over  me,  and  throw  in  a  handful 
of  wheat  to  attract  the  fish.  If  my  head  comes  out 
of  the  water  first,  you  will  know  that  I  am  dead  ; 
then  bury  me  on  the  banks  of  the  lake,  and  take  my 
mule  to  the  bazaar,  but  beware  of  mounting  its  back, 
or  you  are  lost.  On  entering  the  bazaar  you  will 
notice  an  elevation  on  your  left,  where  a  Jew  is 
sitting  in  his  shop.  He  has  the  largest  moustaches 
of  any  man  in  the  whole  bazaar.  Go  up  to  him,  and 
lay  your  hand  on  his  head,  when  he  will  immediately 
rise  up,  take  the  mule  from  you,  and  give  you  a 
golden  dinar,  and  when  you  have  received  it,  you 
may  leave  him.  If  on  the  other  hand,  I  should 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tunis.    1 3  7 

come  out  of  the  lake  alive,  you  will  be  richly  re 
warded." 

When  the  Moor  had  spoken  thus,  he  turned  round, 
holding  his  hands  behind  his  back,  so  that  I  could 
see  that  he  was  not  joking,  but  really  wished  me  to 
bind  him.  I  did  as  he  directed,  and  threw  him  into 
the  lake  at  the  place  he  indicated  to  me. 

In  a  short  time  the  Moor's  head  emerged  from  the 
lake,  but  his  teeth  were  clenched,  and  his  eyes  were 
dim.  I  pulled  him  out  of  the  water,  and  buried  him 
on  the  bank.  I  then  rose  up,  took  my  net  on  my 
back,  and  the  reins  of  the  mule  in  my  hand,  and  led 
the  animal  to  the  Jew,  who  gave  me  a  dinar  for  it.  I 
was  much  pleased,  and  went  to  my  mother,  showed 
her  the  money,  and  told  her  how  I  had  obtained  it. 
She  listened  with  astonishment,  and  pitied  the  Moor, 
who  had  been  the  cause  of  his  own  death. 

On  the  following  morning  I  went  again  to  the  Lake 
of  Karoon,  and  cast  the  net  twice  without  catching 
anything.  I  was  just  about  to  cast  it  for  the  third 
time,  when  another  Moor  appeared,  as  richly  dressed 
as  the  first.  His  mule  had  a  covering  of  green  silk 
over  the  saddle,  a  golden  bit  in  the  mouth,  and  a 
chain  round  the  neck,  in  which  the  most  costly  jewels 
sparkled.  I  started  when  I  saw  him,  thinking  he 
would  revenge  his  brother's  death  upon  me ;  but  he 
only  saluted  me,  and  asked  : 


138  New  Arabian  Nights. 

"  Are  you  Joodar,  the  son  of  Omar,  the  fisher 
man  ? " 

"God  forbid,  my  lord  the  pilgrim,"  answered  I. 
"  I  am  not  Joodar,  and  know  nothing  about  him." 

I  had  scarcely  spoken  when  he  dismounted  from 
his  mule,  and  seized  me  by  the  throat,  so  that  I 
thought  he  would  strangle  me  ;  his  face  was  red,  his 
eyes  shot  fire,  and  his  lips  were  as  black  as  coal. 

"If  you  do  not  tell  me  the  truth,"  cried  he,  "you 
are  a  dead  man  !  " 

I  cried  out  :  "  Mercy,  my  lord  the  pilgrim  :  I  am 
Joodar,  the  son  of  Omar,  the  fisherman  of  Cairo." 

"Why  then,  wretched  man,"  he  exclaimed,  "  did 
you  deny  your  name  and  place  of  abode  ?  By  Allah, 
if  you  had  refused  a  moment  longer  to  speak  the 
truth,  you  would  have  been  dead  already !  But  now 
tell  me  if  there  was  not  a  Moor  here  yesterday, 
who  ordered  you  to  bind  him  and  cast  him  into  the 
lake?" 

"  It  is  true,  my  lord  the  pilgrim,"  I  replied,  "  but  I 
am  not  guilty  of  his  death,  for  he  would  have  killed 
me,  if  I  had  refused  to  do  his  will." 

When  the  Moor  heard  this,  he  laughed,  opened  his 
saddlebags,  took  out  a  cord  which  he  gave  me,  and 
said  :  "  Do  with  me  as  you  did  with. my  brother,  and 
if  I  should  die,  take  the  mule  to  the  Jew,  who  will 
give  you  another  dinar  for  it." 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahrwod  of  Tunis.    139 

I  thought  that  the  Moors  must  be  crazy,  but  I 
was  obliged  to  obey  this  man's  commands.  I  tied 
his  hands  and  feet,  and  threw  him  into  the  water ; 
but  when  his  head  came  up,  I  saw  that  he  was 
dead  too,  so  I  threw  my  net  over  him,  drew  him 
to  shore,  and  buried  him.  Then  I  took  the  mule 
to  the  Jew,  who  gave  me  another  dinar,  and  I 
returned  to  my  mother. 

On  the  third  day  I  wanted  to  go  to  the  Nile, 
but  my  steps  turned  very  unwillingly  back  to 
the  Lake  of  Karoon.  I  cast  my  net  three  times 
in  the  water,  and  drew  it  up  empty  every  time. 
I  folded  it  up,  and  was  about  to  go  away,  when 
a  third  Moor  rode  up  to  me  on  a  mule,  gave 
me  a  friendly  salutation,  and  asked  if  I  was 
not  Joodar  the  fisherman  ?  When  I  said  Yes,  he 
asked  if  his  two  brothers  had  not  both  been  drowned 
in  the  lake  ?  I  began  to  tremble,  and  turned  pale, 
not  knowing  what  to  say ;  but  when  he  saw  my 
confusion,  he  said  :  "  You  have  nothing  to  fear  from 
me,  if  you  do  not  try  to  conceal  the  truth." 

When  I  had  related  to  the  Moor  all  that  had 
happened,  he  laughed,  and  said :  "  By  Him  who 
created  day  and  night,  air  and  water,  and  who 
raises  the  dead,  and  slays  the  living,  if  you  had 
drawn  my  two  brothers  out  of  the  water  alive, 
your  head  should  fly  from  your  shoulders  !"  He 


140  Neiv  Arabian  Nights. 

then  felt  in  his  saddlebags,  took  out  a  red  silken 
cord,  and  continued :  "  Bind  my  hands  and  feet, 
and  treat  me  as  you  did  my  brothers  ;  but  if  I 
should  also  find  my  death  in  the  lake,  take  great 
care  not  to  bring  my  mule  to  the  Jew,  or  you  will 
perish,  without  any  one  knowing  of  your  death. 
You  must  take  it  home  with  you  instead,  and  after 
nightfall  some  one  will  knock  at  the  door,  and 
say:  'Joodar,  give  me  the  mule  of  Mahmood  the 
Moor.'  Give  him  the  mule,  and  he  will  give  you 
a  purse  of  a  thousand  dinars  for  it.  Live  happily 
afterwards,  and  do  not  reproach  yourself  for  the 
death  of  myself  and  my  brothers."  I  thought  to 
myself,  "  He  is  the  best  of  the  three  brothers,  but 
just  as  crazy  as  the  others."  I  then  took  the  cord 
in  my  hand,  bound  the  Moor,  and  threw  him  into 
the  lake  ;  but  behold,  he  did  not  put  his  head 
out  like  his  brothers,  but  his  hands.  He  held  a 
red  fish  in  one  hand,  and  a  black  one  in  the  other  ; 
and  he  cried  out :  "  Joodar,  your  drum  has  beaten, 
and  your  star  of  good  luck  is  in  the  ascendant, 
for  I  have  been  successful."  I  drew  him  quickly 
on  shore  with  the  net,  and  he  ran  to  the  mule, 
and  took  a  box  of  red  coral  from  his  saddle 
bags,  in  which  he  put  the  red  fish,  and  then  a 
black  box  in  which  he  put  the  black  fish  ;  but 
the  two  fishes  were  scarcely  in  the  boxes  when 


The  mule  flew  like  a  bird  to  the  Mokattam  mountains. 


142 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tmiis.    143 

one   dissolved  to  a  red    and   the   other  to   a   black 
liquid. 

"  We  are  now  fast  friends,"  said  he,  after  putting 
the  boxes  back  in  his  saddlebags.  "  Here  are  a 
hundred  dinars  for  your  mother ;  take  them  to 
her  quickly,  and  then  come  back  here."  When  I 
returned  to  the  lake  some  hours  afterwards,  the 
Moor  mounted  his  mule,  and  told  me  to  mount 
behind  him,  and  the  mule  flew  like  a  bird  to  the 
Mokattam  mountains.  When  we  arrived,  the  Moor 
said  :  "  Know,  Joodar,  that  I  cannot  attain  my  object 
without  your  assistance,  so  you  must  not  leave 
me,  and  I  promise  you  riches  and  honour."  When 
I  promised  to  remain  with  him  as  long  as  he 
needed  me,  lie  tied  up  his  mule,  spread  a  cloth 
on  the  ground,  and  reached  some  provisions  from 
his  saddlebags.  When  we  had  eaten,  I  asked  him 
to  give  me  some  explanations  respecting  the  death 
of  his  two  brothers,  and  about  the  two  wonderful 

fish  which  he  had  caught.     He  then  said : 

0 

Know,  Joodar,  that  my  name  is  Mahmood ;  I 
come  from  Tunis,  where  I  had  a  master  who  taught 
me  the  profoundest  secrets  of  magic.  When  he  had 
attained  the  age  of  three  hundred  years,  he  presented 
me  with  a  book,  to  which  a  thousand  genii  are 
subject,  and  said  to  me  :  "  Take  great  care  of  this, 


144  New  Arabian  Nights. 

book,  for  kings,  priests,  and  magicians  have  envied 
me  its  possession,  because  a  man  can  accomplish 
all  his  desires  with  its  aid.  If  you  want  anything 
you  have  only  to  call  out,  '  Winged  Sanja !'  and 
a  genius  will  appear  to  you  who  will  bring  you 
whatever  you  want,  even  if  it  were  in  the  seventh 
ocean  beyond  Mount  Kaf."  I  was  delighted  to 
receive  such  a  valuable  present,  and  showed  it  to 
my  brothers,  the  two  me:i  who  were  drowned  in 
the  lake.  But  they  envied  me,  and  plotted  together 
to  rob  me  of  it.  One  day  when  I  wished  to  test  the 
virtues  of  the  book  in  the  presence  of  my  brothers,  I 
cried  out :  "  Winged  Sanja  ! "  Immediately  a  smoke 
rose  from  the  book  towards  heaven,  which  presently 
condensed  itself  into  a  vast  human  figure,  with  three 
wings,  one  on  each  side,  and  one  in  the  middle  of 
the  back.  This  extraordinary  being  cried  out :  "  Here 
am  I ;  what  does  my  master  desire  ?" 

I  answered  :  "  I  wish  to  make  a  little  excursion 
with  my  brothers  to  the  Coral  Mountain  ;  bring  us 
there  quickly." 

"Certainly,"  said  he.  He  then  spread  out  his 
three  wings,  took  me  on  the  wing  on  his  back, 
and  my  two  brothers  on  his  side-wings,  and  after 
a  swift  flight  through  the  air,  he  placed  us  on  the 
Coral  Mountain.  When  we  arrived,  I  asked  Sanja 
what  lay  beyond  it  ? 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tunis.    145 

"  My  lord,"  answered  he,  "  beyond  this  mountain 
lies  the  Valley  of  Gazelles,  and  the  island  of  King 
Numan,  the  Amalekite,  the  shores  of  which  are 
washed  by  the  waves  of  the  ocean." 

"  Bring  us  to  this  valley,"  said  I,  and  mounted 
on  his  back  once  more,  while  my  two  brothers 
mounted  on  his  side-wings.  Sanja  waved  his  wings, 
and  carried  us  to  the  valley,  where  the  soil  was 
as  white  as  the  whitest  cotton,  and  diffused  an 
odour  of  the  purest  musk.  A  brook  meandered 
through  the  valley,  the  water  of  which  was  cooler 
than  snow  and  sweeter  than  honey ;  and  lilies, 
camellias,  narcissus,  and  jasmine  were  blooming  on 
the  banks.  We  walked  along  the  banks  of  the 
stream  until  we  reached  a  gigantic  walnut-tree,  so 
large  that  a  hundred  horsemen  might  have  rested 
in  its  shade.  Sanja  then  said  :  "  If  you  climb  this 
tree,  you  can  see  the  charming  island  of  King 
Numan."  We  were  glad  to  have  an  opportunity 
of  viewing  this  famous  island,  and  climbed  into  the 
tree,  till  the  '  island  lay  spread  beneath  us  in  its 
whole  length  and  breadth  with  all  its  towers  and 
villages,  mountains  and  valleys,  woods  and  gardens. 
When  we  had  looked  about  us  on  all  sides,  and 
were  about  to  descend,  we  saw  a  red  fish  as  large 
as  a  camel,  swim  into  the  brook  which  emptied 
itself  into  the  sea  not  far  from  us.  The  fish  then 

14 


146  New  Arabian  Nights. 

came  ashore,  and  assumed  the  form  of  a  beautiful 
maiden.  She  had  Babylonian  eyes  and  arched 
eyebrows  ;  her  forehead  shone  like  the  moon  ;  her 
cheeks  were  like  roses,  and  her  lips  like  coral,  and 
her  hair,  darker  than  night  and  finer  than  silk, 
hung  down  to  the  ground.  We  were  so  charmed 
with  her  appearance  that  we  nearly  fell  from  the 

tree. 

• 

The  maiden  had  scarcely  reached  the  shore,  when 
she  called,  and  lo,  a  green  fish  swam  up  the  brook, 
came  ashore  near  her  and  threw  aside  the  fish- 
skin,  when  another  maiden  appeared,  of  such  sur 
passing  beauty  that  we  forgot  to  look  at  the  first. 

"  Dear  sister,"  said  the  former,  "  my  heart  is  so 
heavy  to-day  that  I  would  like  to  amuse  myself 
a  little  with  my  companions  in  this  beautiful  valley." 
She  then  called  again,  and  a  yellow  fish  swam 
towards  them,  and  became  a  maiden  still  more 
beautiful  than  the  first  two ;  the  moon  would  hide 
her  face  before  her,  and  the  sun  would  seem  like 
one  of  her  attendants.  Whoever  saw  her  would 
have  taken  her  for  the  sister  of  the  pious  and 
handsome  Joseph.  Thus  the  maidens  continued 
to  call  till  fourteen  were  assembled,  and  each 
seemed  more  beautiful  than  all  her  predecessors. 
I  was  so  charmed  with  them  that  I  called  Sanja, 
and  ordered  him  to  carry  them  away  to  Tunis. 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tunis.    147 

"  I  obey,"  he  answered,  and  vanished  ;  but  he  soon 
returned,  pale  and  trembling  like  a  reed  in  the 
tempest,  and  said  :  "  Know,  my  master,  that  neither 
I  nor  any  of  my  companions  have  been  able  to 
approach  these  maidens  ;  for,  as  often  as  we  drew 
near,  pillars  of  fire  shot  up  before  us,  which  threa 
tened  to  consume  us ;  and  we  only  escaped  with 
difficulty." 

We  now  sat  in  the  tree,  watching  the  maidens 
amusing  themselves  in  the  valley  till  they  were  tired, 
when  they  resumed  their  fish  robes  and  swam  back 
to  their  own  island.  When  they  had  thus  dis 
appeared  from  our  eyes,  I  called  Sanja  and  ordered 
him  to  carry  me  to  Tunis.  But  he  was  so  exhausted 
by  his  struggle  with  the  genii  who  guarded  the 
maidens  that  he  begged  for  a  short  rest.  Upon  this 
my  brethren  said  :  "  Let  us  sleep  a  little  while  under 
the  tree  till  Sanja  is  able  to  travel."  They  then  lay 
down  under  the  tree,  and  pretended  to  fall  asleep. 
When  I  saw  this  I  thought  that  I  might  sleep  a 
little  too,  without  any  danger  of  losing  my  book. 
But  as  soon  as  I  fell  asleep,  my  brothers  stood  up, 
summoned  two  genii,  and  commanded  them  to  rob 
me  of  the  book,  which  was  enclosed  in  a  case  of  red 
silk  and  hung  round  my  neck  by  a  golden  chain. 

The  two  genii  took  the  chain  from  my  neck,  and 
carried  mv  brothers  to  Tunis,  but  then  vanished 


148  New  Arabian  Nights. 

with  the  book,  so  that  my  brothers  cried  out :  "  Woe 
to  us !  we  have  gained  nothing  by  our  treachery  to 
our  brother,  and  no  genius  will  bring  him  back  to 
his  home  again.  There  is  no  strength  nor  power  but 
in  Almighty  God  !" 

This  is  how  it  fared  with  my  brothers  ;  but  as  for 
myself  I  slept  for  some  time,  and  when  I  awoke  I 
felt  for  my  book  and  found  it  gone.  I  called  Sanja 
three  times,  but  he  did  not  answer.  As  I  saw 
nothing  of  my  brothers,  I  concluded  that  it  was 
they  who  had  stolen  my  book,  and  I  cried  out : 
"We  are  from  God,  and  to  Him  do  we  return. 
What  God  wills  comes  to  pass,  and  what  our  Lord 
decrees  not,  that  does  not  take  place."  Then  I 
thought :  "If  they  had  only  stolen  my  book  in  Tunis, 
I  should  at  least  have  been  in  my  own  home,  but 
what  can  I  do  now  in  this  foreign  country?"  Never 
theless  I  rose  up  and  went  along  the  brook,  trusting 
in  the  One  God,  till  I  reached  a  lofty  black  mountain 
where  the  brook  had  its  source. 

I  walked  ajbng  the  foot  of  the  mountain  for 
three  days,  but  found  it  everywhere  so  steep  that 
I  could  not  attempt  to  ascend  it.  On  the  fourth 
day  I  discovered  a  narrow  path  which  led  up 
the  mountain,  and  I  resolved  to  follow  it,  for 
I  thought :  "  If  no  one  lived  on  this  mountain, 
there  would  be  no  path  here."  I  was  not  mis- 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Makmood  of  Jaunts.   149 

taken,  for  after  climbing  for  a  couple  of  hours  I 
reached  a  large  building  surrounded  by  an  iron  wall 
in  which  was  a  gate  of  brass.  I  knocked  gently,  and 
immediately  some  one  replied  :  "  Welcome  !  You 
will  attain  your  desire  and  put  your  enemies  to 
shame."  A  coal-black  slave  then  opened  the  door 
and  asked  me  to  enter,  but  he  looked  so  frightful 
that  I  was  afraid  to  follow  him.  When  he  saw  that 
I  distrusted  him,  he  went  back  into  the  building,  but 
soon  came  out  again  and  said  :  "  My  lord,  the  owner 
of  this  castle  sends  me  to  tell  you  that  if  you 
are  the  Moor  Mahmood  from  Tunis  you  are  most 
welcome;  but  if  you  are  some  one  else  who  needs 
his  aid,  he  will  be  your  friend."  I  replied  that  I  was 
the  Moor  Mahmood,  and  followed  the  slave  into  the 
building.  He  led  me  into  a  richly  decorated  apart 
ment,  where  an  old  man  was  sitting  on  a  silken 
divan.  His  grey  beard  fell  down  to  his  feet ;  but 
notwithstanding  his  great  age,  he  was  still  as  vigor 
ous  as  a  lion,  and  his  voice  was  as  powerful  as 
thunder.  I  kissed  his  hand  and  saluted  him  re 
spectfully  ;  he  returned  my  salutation,  and  com 
manded  the  slave  to  bring  me  something  to  eat. 
When  the  slave  had  set  a  small  table  before  me 
covered  with  the  choicest  viands,  the  old  man  said  : 
"  I  know  that  you  have  eaten  nothing  for  several 
days,  so  now  help  yourself." 


150  New  Arabian  Nights. 

While  I  was  eating  he  continued  :  "  I  know 
your  whole  history  without  your  telling  it  me. 
Your  brothers  have  robbed  you  of  your  book,  but 
you  are  thinking  more  of  the  beautiful  maidens 
whom  you  saw  in  the  Valley  of  the  Gazelles 
than  of  the  loss  of  your  book.  Know,  Mahmood, 
that  these  maidens  have  been  sought  after  by 
sultans  and  emperors,  but  hitherto  they  have  re 
fused  all  suitors,  whether  men  or  genii,  by  the 
advice  of  the  Dervish  Ansarat,  who  is  held  in 
the  highest  esteem  by  their  father,  King  Numan. 
Ansarat  is  a  very  famous  physician  and  magician, 
who  is  accustomed  to  spend  three  days  among  the 
genii  and  three  days  at  the  court  of  King  Numan. 
One  day  when  he  returned  the  king  was  awaiting 
him  with  anxiety,  and  told  him  that  all  his  daughters 
were  ill  and  needed  his  advice.  After  Ansarat  had 
seen  and  prescribed  for  them,  he  came  back  and  said 
cheerfully  to  King  Numan :  '  Your  daughters  will  soon 
be  well  if  they  leave  the  island  for  a  short  time  to 
enjoy  a  little  sea  air.  I  will  arrange  them  a  pleasant 
trip  to  the  mainland.'  He  then  left  the  king  and 
sent  for  a  fisherman,  whom  he  asked  to  bring  him 
the  skins  of  fifteen  large  fishes.  As  soon  as  the 
fisherman  brought  them,  he  wrote  holy  names  on 
the  inside,  which  give  them  the  property  of  swim 
ming  about  in  the  sea  in  any  direction  desired  by 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Timis.    151 

the  wearer,  like  live  fish.  On  the  following  day  he 
gave  one  of  these  skins  to  each  princess  in  the 
king's  presence,  but  he  gave  the  fifteenth  to  his  son, 
Didakam,  and  ordered  him  to  accompany  the 
maidens  to  the  Valley  of  the  Gazelles.  He  then 
said  to  the  king :  '  Be  of  good  courage,  and  have 
confidence  in  me  ;  for  if  any  evil  should  befall  your 
daughters  it  would  also  fall  upon  my  son,  who  is  as 
dear  to  me  as  are  your  daughters  to  you.'  *  Do  what 
you  think  best,'  answered  the  king.  Ansarat  then 
commanded  his  son  to  plunge  into  the  sea  with  the 
princesses,  and  to  swinv  to  the  Valley  of  the  Gazelles, 
the  air  of  which  would  soon  restore  them  to  health. 
'  They  are  safe  from  both  men  and  genii,'  he  added, 
'  for  the  sacred  names  which  I  have  written  in  the 
skins  will  protect  them  against  alT  assailants,  the 
waves  of  the  sea  will  calm,  the  hills  grow  level,  and 
the  trees  bow  before  them.'  Didakam  and  the  prin 
cesses  then  plunged  into  the  sea,  and  they  swam  to 
gether  like  fish  to  the  great  walnut-tree  in  the  Valley 
of  the  Gazelles.  There  they  landed,  and  spent  the 
whole  day  in  the  valley,  and  when  they  returned  in 
the  evening  the  king  found  them  so  strong  and  well 
that  he  immediately  rewarded  Ansarat  and  his  son 
with  robes  of  honour. 

"  Since  that  time,  the  princesses  come  every  day  to 
amuse  themselves  in  the  valley  where  you  and  your 


152  New  Arabian  Nights. 

brothers  saw  them.  But  now  dismiss  them  from 
your  thoughts,  and  turn  your  attention  to  the  re 
covery  of  your  book,  which  you  can  only  regain  with 
the  aid  of  your  master  at  Tunis,  to  whom  I  will  send 
you  immediately.  When  you  see  him,  salute  him 
most  respectfully  from  the  Dervish  Samuda,  the 
master  of  the  iron  castle  with  the  brazen  gate.  A 
genius  is  already  waiting  here  from  your  master,  who 
brought  me  a  letter  informing  me  of  what  had  be 
fallen  you,  and  who  is  under  orders  to  carry  you  back 
to  Tunis.  But  beware  of  him,  for  he  is  a  real  demon  ; 
he  can  make  himself  as  small  as  a  man's  arm,  and  as 
large  as  the  highest  date-tree ;  he  flies  like  a  bird, 
and  his  breath  scorches  the  country  over  which  he 
flies.  If  you  fall  from  his  back,  you  will  melt  like 
heated  lead  ;  so  take  good  care  of  yourself." 

He  then  called  the  genius,  and  helped  me  on  his 
back.  I  took  leave  of  the  dervish,  and  the  genius  flew 
with  me  for  some  hours  between  heaven  and  earth, 
and  set  me  down  in  Tunis  at  the  door  of  my  tutor, 
Abul  Ajaib.  As  I  set  my  feet  on  the  ground,  I 
heard  my  master  say  to  his  servants,  "  Go  and  wel 
come  Mahmood  in  my  name,  and  bring  him  in." 

"King  Nubian's  beautiful  daughters  nearly  cost 
you  your  life,"  said  my  master,  laughing,  as  I  entered, 
"but  your  brothers  also  returned  unsuccessful  from 
their  excursion,  for  the  genii  tricked  them  as  they 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tunis.   153 

wished  to  trick  you.  They  have  carried  the  book 
into  the  Eagle's  Cleft,  which  no  one  can  reach  except 
by  passing  through  seven  gates,  beyond  Mount 
Mokattam.  They  have  enclosed  it  in  a  brazen  coffer 
with  the  magic  sword  upon  which  the  Dervish 
Sintbest  has  engraved  talismans.  This  dervish  was 
instructed  in  the  magic  art  by  one  of  the  daughters 
of  Satik,  the  master  of  all  the  enchanters ;  and  with 
the  aid  of  the  magical  words  which  he  wrote  upon 
the  sword,  he  overcame  the  mightiest  kings  and  the 
most  numerous  armies,  and  conquered  so  many 
countries  and  cities  that  none  but  God  could  count 
them.  Genii  as  well  as  men  dreaded  this  sword,  for 
when  he  was  angry  with  any  one,  he  only  needed 
to  raise  it  against  him,  and  a  ray  of  light  issued  from 
it,  which  divided  his  adversary  into  two  parts,  and 
reduced  him  to  ashes.  If  many  assailed  him  at  once, 
he  had  only  to  touch  one  with  the  sword,  and  all 
fell  lifeless  to  the  ground.  But  one  day  his  instruc 
tress,  the  daughter  of  Satik,  who  had  heard  much 
of  this  magic  sword,  visited  him,  and  said  : 

" '  Great  king,  permit  me  to  see  the  sword  which 
has  wrought  so  many  wonders  that  it  is  feared 
throughout  the  world.' 

" '  I  owe  everything  to  you,'  answered  Sintbest, 
'and  can  refuse  you  nothing/  and  handed  her  the 
sword. 


154  New  Arabian  Nights. 

"  The  daughter  of  Satik  took  it  in  her  hand,  and 
examined  it  on  all  sides.  After  some  consideration, 
she  said  : 

" '  Dear  king,  this  sword  which  has  cost  you  so  much 
trouble  and  so  many  sleepless  nights  to  complete, 
will  fall  one  day  into  the  hands  of  a  man  who  will 
attain  the  pinnacle  of  honour  and  glory  by  its  means. 
He  will  slay  the  most  powerful  kings  of  the  genii 
with  it,  and  will  hew  down  the  primeval  tree  of 
Bahram  the  Magian.' 

"  When  Sintbest  heard  this,  he  enclosed  his  sword 
in  an  emerald  casket,  and  ordered  a  genius  to  carry 
it  to  the  Eagle's  Cleft,  thinking  that  no  man  would 
ever  be  able  to  reach  it.  But  Sintbest  was  mistaken, 
for  I  have  read  in  my  books  of  magic  that  the  Eagle's 
Cleft  will  be  opened  by  you,  with  the  help  of  a  fisher 
man  of  Egypt,  named  Joodar,  and  that  you  will 
become  the  master  of  the  sword  and  of  the  book. 
You  will  meet  the  fisherman  Joodar  on  the  banks 
of  a  small  lake  at  Cairo,  called  the  Lake  of  Karoon." 

My  tutor  then  went  into  an  inner  room,  and  re 
turned  with  a  red  and  black  box,  and  a  silken  cord. 
He  then  said  : 

"Go  to  Egypt  to  the  Lake  of  Karoon,  and  cause 
Joodar  to  bind  y^ou  and  throw  you  into  the  lake. 
There  you  will  see  a  man  with  a  white  beard,  and 
a  high  turban  on  his  head,  holding  a  black  fish  in  one 


JU!^ 


When  you  reach  the  thirty-first  step,  you  will  see  a  passage. 


156 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  M  ah  mood  of  Tunis.    1 5  7 

hand,  and  a  red  one  in  the  other.  He  will  offer  them 
to  you,  and  you  must  take  them  from  him,  climb  on 
shore,  and  put  the  red  fish  into  the  red  box,  and  the 
black  fish  into  the  black  box.  Then  let  Joodar  ride 
with  you  to  Mount  Mokattam,  when  you  will  notice 
a  red  hill  to  the  east ;  here  kindle  a  fire,  and  throw 
into  it  about  an  ounce  from  the  red  box,  when  a 
light  will  rise  from  it  towards  heaven,  and  you  will 
perceive  a  trap-door  with  two  rings,  leading  into  a 
subterranean  passage.  Seize  the  rings  and  lift  up 
the  trap-door,  when  you  will  see  a  stone  staircase ; 
descend  the  stairs  with  Joodar,  and  when  you  reach 
the  thirty- first  step  you  will  see  a  passage  before  you 
with  a  floor  of  lead,  and  walls  of  copper.  Go  along 
this  passage  till  you  arrive  at  the  door  of  a  hall  where 
sits  a  maiden  more  beautiful  than  you  have  ever  seen 
in  your  life.  You  will  find  her  reading  a  book,  and 
when  you  arrive,  she  will  stand  up,  and  put  the  book 
in  a  red  bag.  She  will  then  call  you  by  your  names, 
and  hold  out  her  hand  to  welcome  you.  But  if  you 
let  her  seize  your  hand,  the  floor  will  boil  beneath 
you,  and  you  will  sink  in  melted  lead  that  will  scald 
your  flesh  from  your  bones.  But  instead  of  taking 
her  hand,  take  about  an  ounce  from  the  red  box,  and 
sprinkle  it  against  the  wall,  when  the  maiden  will 
suffer  you  to  pass  through  the  hall  which  she  guards. 
This  will  lead  you  to  a  marble  corridor,  at  the  end 

15 


158  New  Arabian  Nights. 

of  which  you  will  find  another  maiden,  still  more 
beautiful  than  the  first,  sitting  before  a  door.  As 
soon  as  she  sees  you,  she  will  rise  up  and  salute  you, 
saying,  'Welcome,  Mahmood  of  Tunis,  and  Joodar 
the  fisherman  of  Cairo.'  Return  her  greeting,  for 
she  is  your  friend,  and  will  be  true  to  you  until  you 
have  won  the  sword  and  the  book.  I  need  not 
give  you  any  further  directions,  for  it  is  absolutely 
necessary  for  you  to  obey  this  maiden's  instruc 
tions  in  everything,  without  hesitation.  But  know, 
Mahmood,  that  your  brothers  have  been  listening 
at  the  door,  and  have  overheard  all  that  I  have  been 
saying,  and  have  ordered  two  genii  to  carry  them 
to  Egypt,  thinking  that  if  they  obey  the  directions 
which  I  have  given  you,  they  will  be  able  to  obtain 
possession  of  the  sword  and  the  book  instead  of  you ; 
but  when  they  sink  in  the  water,  they  will  be  killed 
by  the  genii  of  the  lake ;  for  God  alone  is  all- 
knowing." 

After  this,  my  tutor  called  the  genius  who  had 
brought  me  from  the  castle  to  Tunis,  and  ordered 
him  to  carry  me  to  Egypt.  The  genius  immediately 
spread  his  wings,  and  carried  me  to  the  neighbour 
hood  of  the  Lake  of  Karoon  in  Egypt,  after  which 
he  vanished,  and  brought  me  a  genius  in  the  form 
of  a  mule,  and  mounted  me  upon  it.  That  is  all 
which  I  have  to  relate  about  my  affairs. 


Mahmood  sprinkled  something  against  the  wall. 


160 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tunis.    1 6 1 

When  Mahmood  had  finished  his  wonderful  story, 
I  took  courage,  and  did  not  doubt  that  the  issue 
of  the  adventure  would  be  fortunate  for  us  both. 
After  talking  a  long  time  about  genii  and  enchanters, 
we  fell  asleep,  and  on  the  following  morning  we 
journeyed  to  the  east  until  we  arrived  at  a  red  hill. 
Mahmood  was  overjoyed  to  perceive  it,  and  said  : 

"Joodar,  this  is  the  place  to  which  my  tutor 
directed  me." 

He  then  took  a  tinderbox  from  his  pocket,  struck 
a  light,  poured  about  an  ounce  of  the  contents  of 
the  red  box  upon  it,  and  behold,  a  great  pillar  of 
fire  shot  up,  which  showed  us  a  trap-door  with  two 
rings.  Mahmood  took  the  rings,  and  lifted  it  easily, 
and  we  went  down  thirty  steps,  when  we  came  to 
the  passage,  and  found  the  first  maiden,  as  Abul 
Ajaib  had  described.  She  saluted  us,  and  held  out 
her  hand  to  us,  but  Mahmood,  instead  of  taking  it, 
quickly  seized  hold  of  the  red  box,  and  sprinkled 
something  from  it  against  the  wall.  Then  the 
maiden  fell  down,  and  we  passed  through  an  empty 
hall  into  a  marble  corridor,  at  the  end  of  which  sat 
a  maiden  on  a  golden  chair,  like  the  moon  in  her 
fourteenth  night.  As  soon  as  she  saw  us,  she  said 
in  ravishing  tones  which  might  have  restored  any 
sick  man  to  health  : — 

"Welcome,  my  lord    Mahmood   from    Tunis,  and 


1 62  New  Arabian  Nights. 

my  lord  Joodar  from  Cairo  !  Praised  be  the  Lord, 
who  has  sent  you  to  deliver  me !  I  have  been  im 
prisoned  here  for  twenty  years,  and  I  have  seen  you 
for  several  nights  in  my  dreams  as  you  now  appear 
before  me,  and  your  coming  has  also  been  foretold 
to  me.  But  if  you  wish  to  know  who  I  am,  and  how 
I  came  here,  then  listen  to  me  before  I  guide  you 
further.  I  am  the  daughter  of  King  Sasan,  the  Lord 
of  the  Mountain  of  Air,  and  the  Golden  Castle,  and 
my  name  is  Hysa.  My  father  was  one  of  the  bravest 
kings  of  the  age,  and  was  always  the  first  in  battle, 
although  innumerable  armies  fought  for  him.  But 
as  I  was  his  only  child,  I  was  brought  up  to  the  use 
of  arms,  and  distinguished  myself  so  much  by  my 
bravery  that  our  whole  army  honoured  me  as  much 
as  they  honoured  my  father.  My  name  soon  became 
so  famous  both  for  my  valour  and  my  beauty,  that 
kings  and  princes  from  the  most  distant  countries 
sought  my  hand  in  marriage.  But  as  I  had  no  desire 
to  marry,  I  was  forced  to  take  the  field  against  many 
disappointed  suitors.  One  day  a  messenger  brought 
my  father  a  letter,  which  ran  as  follows  :  '  From  King 
Sintbest,  the  greatest  king  of  his  age.  Know,  King 
Sasan,  that  I  have  heard  so  much  of  the  valour  and 
beauty  of  your  daughter,  that  I  love  her  without 
having  seen  her,  and  desire  to  take  her  as  my  wife. 
I  am  in  hopes  that  you  will  not  refuse  a  son-in-law 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tunis.    163 

of  my  dignity.  Ask  any  dowry  you  please ;  only 
give  me  a  speedy  answer,  and  accept  my  salutations.' 
"  When  my  father  had  read  the  letter,  he  brought 
the  messenger  to  me,  and  I  said  :  '  Let  me  see  the 
letter.'  When  he  gave  it  me,  I  tore  it  up,  and  drew 
my  sword  upon  the  messenger,  and  would  have 
struck  off  his  head,  if  he  had  not  fled  in  haste.  The 
messenger  returned  to  Sintbest,  and  informed  him 
of  the  reception  which  he  had  met  with.  Sintbest 
immediately  summoned  the  genius  Dilhood,  and 
commanded  him  to  bring  me  to  him.  I  was  sitting 
alone  in  my  room  when  Dilhood,  who  was  taller 
than  the  loftiest  date-tree,  rushed  upon  me,  and 
before  I  knew  what  had  happened,  he  had  placed 
me  on  his  back,  and  was  flying  with  me  to  King 
Sinthest.  When  he  saw  me,  the  king  cried  out : 
'  Wretched  girl,  what  provoked  you  to  tear  my  letter 
and  to  ill-use  my  servant?  Do  you  not  know  that 
the  most  powerful  kings  bow  before  me,  and  that 
even  the  kings  of  the  genii  fear  me  ? '  But  when  I 
took  off  my  veil,  and  he  saw  my  face,  he  said  in  a 
milder  tone :  '  Nevertheless  I  will  forgive  you  if  you 
will  return  my  love,  and  consent  to  become  my 
wife.'  '  I  would  rather  be  torn  in  pieces,'  I  replied. 
When  he  heard  this,  he  ground  his  teeth  with  rage 
and  commanded  Dilhood,  who  was  still  waiting  at 
the  door,  to  carry  me  to  the  Eagle's  Cleft.  I  have 


164  New  Arabian  Nights. 

been  exiled  here  for  twenty  years,  and  Dilhood 
brings  me  my  food  every  day.  I  had  quite  given  up 
all  hopes  of  ever  regaining  my  freedom,  but  ten  days 
ago  an  old  man  of  very  venerable  aspect  appeared 
to  me  in  a  dream,  and  said  :  'Rejoice,  Hysa,  for  the 
hour  of  your  deliverance  approaches.  King  Sintbest's 
power  is  on  the  wane,  and  you  will  soon  be  able  to 
return  home  and  ascend  the  throne  of  your  father, 
who  has  long  been  dead.  Have  patience  for  a  little 
until  two  men  arrive  here  ;  the  one  is  Mahmood  of 
Tunis,  and  the  other  Joodar  of  Cairo ;  and  you  must 
help  them  till  they  have  obtained  possession  of  the 
magic  sword  and  the  sacred  book,  and  they  will 
then  send  you  back  to  your  home  ! '  Now  that  you 
know  who  I  am,  follow  me,  and  act  as  I  shall  advise 
you." 

After  saying  this,  she  took  a  golden  key  from  a 
bag,  and  opened  the  hall  before  which  she  sat.  It 
was  of  enormous  size,  and  was  entirely  surrounded 
with  divans,  on  which  sat  kings  wearing  crowns,  set 
with  the  most  costly  diamonds.  Each  had  a  golden 
chain  round  his  neck,  to  which  was  suspended  an 
engraved  silver  tablet. 

"  How  do  so  many  kings  come  here  ? "  I  asked 
amazed  ;  "  are  they  living  or  dead  ?  " 

"  You  see  only  corpses  here,"  answered  Hysa ; 
"praise  to  God,  who  alone  is  immortal!  These 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tunis.    165 

are  kings,  and  the  sons  of  kings,  whose  very  slaves 
were  kings  themselves." 

In  the  middle  of  the  hall  was  a  fountain  with  four 
golden  lions,  on  which  stood  four  peacocks  con 
structed  of  pearls  and  jewels,  and  opposite  the  lions 
were  four  brazen  statues,  each  of  which  held  a 
trumpet  to  his  mouth.  Near  these  statues  stood 
four  Greek  slaves  with  tambourines  of  gazelle-skin  ; 
and  four  French  slaves  with  lutes.  They  were  so 
skilfully  constructed  that  they  seemed  to  be  alive 
and  you  would  have  expected  to  hear  them  speak. 
Round  the  fountain  stood  thrones  on  which  kings 
were  sitting,  but  a  higher  and  handsomer  throne  was 
unoccupied. 

"  This  is  the  throne  of  King  Sintbest,"  said  Hysa ; 
and  asked  me  to  sit  upon  it.  As  soon  as  I  sat  down 
the  lions  turned  round  in  a  circle  three  times,  stood 
up,  and  fawned  upon  me,  and  licked  my  feet  ;  the 
peacocks  opened  their  mouths,  and  breathed  forth 
the  finest  perfumes  ;  the  brazen  statues  bowed  down  ; 
and  the  slave  girls  began  to  play  upon  their  instru 
ments.  I  sat  still,  and  listened  to  them,  till  Hysa 
said  :  "  These  maidens  would  not  cease  playing,  if 
you  sat  for  a  thousand  years  on  this  throne  ;  they 
will  never  grow  weary,  for  they  are  not  alive,  and 
only  move  by  virtue  of  a  magical  impulse  which 
King  Sintbest  has  conferred  upon  them." 


1 66  New  Arabian  Nights. 

When  I  heard  this,  I  rose  up,  and  went  to  examine 
the  tablet  which  hung  round  the  neck  of  one  of  the 
kings.  On  the  tablet  was  written,  "  Wanderer  who 
readest  this,  know  that  I,  the  powerful  King  Alex 
ander,  was  conquered  by  the  enchanter  Sintbest. 
Take  example  from  me,  and  from  other  kings,  who 
have  fallen  like  me  from  the  summit  of  power  to  the 
deepest  degradation.  Know  that  I  had  a  hundred 
wives  and  two  hundred  sons.  I  was  lord  of  twenty 
capital  cities,  over  which  I  appointed  viceroys.  My 
armies  were  innumerable  ;  my  treasuries  were  filled 
with  gold,  pearls,  precious  stones,  and  the  most 
costly  fabrics ;  but  at  length  came  death,  who  destroys 
every  pleasure,  dissolves  every  union,  and  makes 
so  many  sons  and  daughters  orphans ;  and  he 
desolated  our  palaces."  Underneath  were  written 
the  following  verses : 

"  O  child  of  earth,  be  not  blinded  by  the  deceitful 
glitter  of  the  world.  How  many  mighty  ones  are 
fallen  ;  how  many  strong  ones  have  become  weak ; 
how  many  palaces  have  become  desolate  ;  and  how 
many  a  grave  has  been  filled  up  !  The  grave  sends 
sudden  grief  to  the  joyous  ;  suddenly  fills  laughing 
eyes  with  tears  ;  and  parts  friends  when  their  union 
was  of  the  happiest !  " 

These  verses  moved  us  to  tears,  and  affected  me 
so  much  that  I  did  not  care  to  read  the  other  tablets ; 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tunis.    167 

and  Hysa  said  she  would  lead  us  further.  She 
opened  a  door  opposite  to  that  by  which  we  had 
entered  ;  and  after  we  had  passed  through  another 
long  passage,  we  arrived  in  a  hall  surrounded  with 
forty  little  cabinets,  before  each  of  which  hung  a 
silk  curtain,  embroidered  with  gold.  In  the  middle 
of  the  hall  stood  a  copper  statue,  with  a  pan  of  coals 
in  its  hand,  which  diffused  the  odours  of  amber,  musk, 
and  frankincense.  When  I  raised  one  of  the  curtains, 
I  beheld  a  maiden  like  the  shining  sun,  lying  on  a 
bed ;  and  ninety-nine  other  maidens  were  lying 
around  her,  who  appeared  to  be  sunk  in  a  deep 
sleep  ;  but  Hysa  assured  me  that  they  were  all  dead. 
Hysa  then  pushed  aside  a  throne  which  stood  in  the 
middle  of  the  hall,  and  we  saw  a  gold  ring  on  the 
floor.  She  grasped  it,  and  raised  a  trap-door,  which 
disclosed  a  great  marble  staircase  leading  into  a  dark 
passage.  Hysa  led  Mahmood  -and  myself  by  the 
hand,  and  it  took  us  half  a  day  to  reach  the  end 
of  the  passage.  We  now  found  ourselves  again  in 
the  open  air,  and  soon  reached  a  beautiful  garden, 
planted  with  all  kinds  of  fruit  trees,  the  fruit  of  which 
shone  like  the  most  brilliant  jewels  ;  and  birds  of 
every  kind  were  praising  their  Creator  in  the 
branches. 

As  we  were  wandering  about   in   the   garden,  we 
perceived    in  the  distance  a   radiance  like  the  sun  ; 


1 68  New  Arabian  Nights. 

and  when  we  approached  it,  behold  it  was  a  great 
castle  set  with  diamonds  of  the  purest  water, 
such  as  no  kings  or  emperors  ever  possessed. 
The  castle  had  neither  doors  nor  windows  ;  but 
before  it  lay  a  mass  of  rock  on  which  sat  a  genius 
with  a  long  beard,  clothed  in  a  robe  of  white  silk, 
and  holding  a  book  in  his  hand.  He  looked  about 
him  on  every  side,  until  he  saw  us,  when  he  threw 
himself  upon  the  ground,  and  exclaimed  :  "  Praise  to 
the  Lord  of  worlds,  for  the  hour  of  my  deliverance 
has  arrived  ! "  He  then  stood  up  again,  gave  us  a 
friendly  salutation,  and  said  :  "  I  have  been  awaiting 
you  here  impatiently  for  thirty  years ;  for  I  have 
many  children,  and  know  not  what  has  become  of 
them.  God  has  at  last  heard  my  supplications,  for  I 
could  not  move  from  this  place  before  you  arrived, 
because  you  need  my  assistance  to  gain  your  end. 
Do  you  see  the  cat  up  there  ? " 

We  looked,  and  beheld  a  white  marble  pillar  rising 
from  a  pond,  and  a  black  cat  stood  on  the  top, 
fastened  by  a  gold  chain.  I  was  surprised,  and  asked 
for  an  explanation. 

"  The  cat,"  replied  the  old  genius,  "  has  been 
bound  to  the  pillar  for  ten  years.  It  can  only  be 
released  by  two  words  from  your  mouth,  and  will 
then  deliver  up  the  magic  sword  and  the  sacred  book. 
He  is  the  most  renowned  and  the  most  dreaded 


Joo  Jar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tunis.    169 

enchanter  among  the  genii,  and  his  name  is  Shah 
Bair.  But  I  am  called  Black  Abdallah,  the  Kadi 
of  the  Muslim  genii.  In  order  to  release  the  cat  call 
him  by  his  name,  and  sprinkle  the  pond  with  the 
liquid  from  the  black  box,  upon  which  the  cat  will 
immediately  stretch  out  his  paw,  unfasten  the  chain, 
and  fly  away." 

When  the  Kadi  of  the  genii  had  thus  spoken,  he 
spread  his  wings  and  disappeared  in  an  instant. 
We  then  went  up  to  the  pond  which  we  sprinkled 
with  liquid  from  the  black  box  ;  and  I  cried  out, 
"  Shah  Bair,  help  us  to  obtain  what  we  desire  !  " 

I  had  scarcely  spoken  when  the  cat  stood  up, 
expanded  to  twice  the  size  of  the  pillar,  broke 
the  chain  which  was  round  his  neck,  and  flew  up 
to  the  roof  of  the  castle.  He  soon  returned  in 
a  human  form,  with  six  horns,  one  on  each  side, 
two  between  the  eyes,  and  two  on  the  back.  He 
carried  a  brazen  chest  with  the  book  on  his  head 
and  the  sword  under  his  arm,  and  he  laid  them 
both  before  us,  and  vanished. 

Mahmood  was  overjoyed  when  he  saw  the  box 
which  contained  his  book.  But  there  was  a  golden 
clasp  upon  it,  and  when  he  attempted  to  open  it 
frightful  voices  were  heard,  crying  :  "  Seize  him ! 
Hew  him  to  pieces.  Dash  him  to  the  ground !  " 
At  the  same  moment  we  were  completely  surrounded 

16 


. 

170  New  Arabian  Nights. 

by  small  flames,  which  threatened  to  consume  us. 
Mahmood  tried  in  vain  to  open  the  box ;  my  blood 
ran  cold,  and  all  my  limbs  trembled. 

Hysa  laughed  at  our  terror,  and  said  to  Mah 
mood  :  "  Pour  some  fluid  from  the  black  box  on 
the  fires,  and  you  shall  see  wonders." 
•  Mahmood  did  so,  and  a  black  smoke  rose  up  to 
heaven,  and  we  saw  and  heard  no  more.  Mahmood 
kissed  Hysa's  head  and  hands,  and  she  said  to  him  : 
"  Now  open  the  box,  and  draw  the  sword  from  the 
scabbard.  You  have  nothing  more  to  fear,  for  all  the 
genii  whom  Sintbest  stationed  to  guard  it  have  fled." 

Mahmood  then  exclaimed,  "  In  the  name  of  God 
the  all-merciful,"  and  the  box  opened  of  itself, 
but  when  he  saw  the  book  again  he  fainted  with 
joy.  We  were  obliged  to  sprinkle  him  with  water 
for  a  long  time  before  he  recovered.  After  this 
he  opened  the  other  casket,  which  was  of  emerald, 
in  which  he  found  a  green  silk  bag,  and  beside  it 
a  seal  ring,  which  shone  like  a  star  on  a  dark 
night.  The  bag  contained  three  strips  of  steel, 
which  Mahmood  put  together,  and  formed  into  a 
shining  sword.  It  was  covered  with  very  fine 
writing,  like  the  tracks  of  ants,  which  read  as 
follows  :  "  I  am  a  noble  sword  which  only  the 
good  can  wield  ;  I  protect  my  possessor,  and  destroy 
his  enemies."  On  the  seal  ring  was  inscribed  :  "  This 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tunis,    i  7  i 

ring  is  for  Zaher  Bybars,  the  Sultan  of  Egypt." 
When  I  had  read  this  inscription,  I  asked  Mahmood 
to  give  me  the  ring,  but  he  answered  :  "  This  ring, 
which  will  make  Sultan  Zaher  the  mightiest  warrior 
of  his  age,  and  will  lead  him  to  the  most  brilliant 
victories  over  the  infidels,  cannot  come  into  his 
possession  until  we  find  the  maidens  whom  I  saw 
in  the  Valley  of  the  Gazelles.  This  we  can  ac 
complish  with  the  aid  of  the  sword "  ;  and  he 
then  handed  the  sword  to  me.  He  then  read  a 
little  in  his  book,  and  exclaimed,  "  Sanja,  winged 
Sanja ! "  A  smoke  rose  from  the  book  up  to 
heaven,  then  rolled  itself  together  and  assumed  the 
form  of  a  genius,  as  tall  as  the  tallest  date- 
tree.  He  had  three  wings,  one  on  each  side  and 
one  on  the  back,  and  when  he  spread  them  they 
resembled  the  sails  of  a  great  ship.  He  kissed 
Mahmood's  hands  and  feet,  and  asked  what  he 
wanted.  Hysa  then  came  forward,  and  said  :  "  You 
know  that  I  have  already  been  waiting  here  twenty 
years  for  you,  and  you  have  no  further  need  of  me 
now.  I  therefore  beseech  you  to  send  me  back 
to  my  home  and  my  family,  from  whom  I  was  carried 
away  by  force." 

"  Sanja,"  exclaimed  Mahmood,  "  take  Hysa  on 
your  back  and  carry  her  to  the  Golden  Castle  on 
the  Mountain  of  Air." 


17  2  New  Arabian  Nights. 

Hysa  took  leave  of  us,  and  Sanja  flew  away  with 
her.  When  they  had  gone  we  returned  by  the  same 
way  that  had  led  us  into  the  garden  till  we 
stood  again  on  the  red  hill  on  Mount  Mokattam. 
Mahmood  then  called  his  mule,  and  ordered  him  to 
inform  his  tutor,  Abul  Ajaib,  of  the  success  of  his 
undertaking  ;  but  he  said  to  me :  "  Before  all  things 
let  us  go  first-  to  your  mother,  that  she  may  no 
longer  mourn  for  you  as  for  one  dead.  My  book 
will  then  tell  us  what  still  remains  to  be  done." 

"  Do  you  know,  Mahmood,"  said  I,  as  we  were  walk 
ing  along,  "  I  am  sorry  that  we  sent  Hysa  back  to  her 
home,  for,  since  she  left  us,  I  feel  that  I  love  her."  , 

"  Let  us  seek  first  for  the  daughters  of  King 
Numan,"  answered  Mahmood,  "  and  when  we  have 
found  them  you  shall  marry  Hysa,  or  any  one  else 
you  wish." 

When  we  approached  my  mother's  house,  we  could 
hear  her  mourning  and  weeping ;  for  she  supposed 
that  I  was  dead,  because  I  had  left  home  without 
taking  leave  of  her,  for  I  did  not  know  myself  that 
I  should  be  kept  away  for  several  days.  When  she 
saw  me  return  safe  she  fainted,  and  it  was  some 
hours  before  she  came  to  herself.  In  the  evening 
Mahmood  prepared  her  for  a  long  absence  from  me, 
but  pledged  himself  solemnly  that  I  should  return 
home  safe  and  sound. 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tunis.    173 

On  the  following  morning,  when  we  were  alone 
and  had  finished  our  prayers,  Mahmood  read  for 
a  while  in  his  book,  and  then  said :  "  Let  us  not 
sit  any  longer  on  hot  coals  ;  who  knows  whether 
we  may  not  afterwards  repent  our  delay  ;  but  now 
I  promise  you  an  easy  and  fortunate  task,  if  you 
will  obey  my  instructions.  Go  straight  to  Boolak, 
where  you  will  find  a  ship,  which  will  sail  to  Alex 
andria  in  four  days  ;  go  immediately  to  the  bazaar 
which  is  by  the  sea,  and  there  you  will  see  a  Persian 
reclining  in  a  shop,  with  a  white  woollen  turban  on 
his  head.  Four  white  slaves  stand  at  his  right  hand, 
four  black  ones  at  his  left,  and  at  his  head  stands  a 
beardless  boy  with  a  green  silken  cloth  in  his  hand. 
The  Persian  will  salute  you  if  you  stop  in  front  of 
his  shop,  and  ask  you  how  he  can  serve  you  ;  ask 
him  only  to  stretch  out  his  right  hand.  If  he 
does  so,  pretend  to  kiss  it,  but  bite  his  thumb  till 
he  calls  out,  *  There  is  but  one  God,  and  Mohammed 
is  His  Prophet !  Everything  takes  its  appointed 
course  ! '  He  will  then  close  his  shop  and  go  to  the 
shore  with  you,  the  slaves,  and  the  boy,  and  will 
embark  in  a  handsome  boat.  The  eight  slaves  will 
row,  the  boy  will  steer,  and  you  and  the  Persian 
will  sit  in  the  boat  Thus  you  will  sail  on  the 
sea  for  twenty  days,  until  you  reach  a  green  island. 
But  know,  Joodar,  that  if  any  of  the  thousand  genii 


174  New  Arabian  Nights. 

who  are  in  my  service  could  bring  me  news  of  the 
daughters  of  Numan,  I  would  not  trouble  you  ; 
but  if  any  one  but  you  were  to  touch  the  magic 
sword,  he  would  be  reduced  to  ashes.  You  alone, 
with  this  magic  sword,  can  slay  the  tyrant  Hindmar, 
the  lord  of  the  Raven's  Pool  and  the  Castle  of 
Pillars.  With  this,  too,  you  can  hew  down  the  iron 
tree  of  Bahram  the  Magian,  which  brings  so  much 
evil  upon  the  Muslims.  Neither  you  nor  I  can 
obtain  the  objects  of  our  desires  until  this  is  all 
accomplished." 

He  then  called  Sanja,  and  asked  him  if  he  had 
taken  Hysa  home  ?  "  Yes,  my  lord,"  answered  Sanja  ; 
"she  is  now  queen  in  her  own  country,  for  her 
father  died  during  her  absence,  and  the  detested 
Vizier,  Dimdiman,  who  had  usurped  the  throne,  was 
forced  to  abdicate  the  very  night  that  Hysa  returned. 
She  wished  me  to  tell  you  this,  and  to  salute  you 
many  times  from  her.  I  was  also  to  tell  you  that 
she  would  never  forget  you,  and  would  always  love 
you." 

These  words  kindled  my  hopes.  I  took  leave 
of  my  mother  and  Mahmood,  and  found  a  ship  ready 
to  sail  for  Alexandria.  There  I  found  the  Persian 
whom  Mahmood  had  described  to  me.  I  bit  his 
finger,  and  he  brought  me  in  twenty  days  to  a 
green  island.  As  soon  as  we  neared  the  land  he 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tunis.    1 75 

said  :  "  Go  on  shore  ;  go  straight  across  the  island, 
and  on  the  opposite  shore  you  will  find  a  handsomer 
vessel  than  mine,  with  a  Moor  at  the  helm.  He 
will  salute  you  by  your  name  and  the  name  of  your 
father,  take  you  on  board,  and  sail  with  you  on  the 
sea  for  ten  days ;  and  on  the  eleventh  day  he  will 
land  you  on  a  snow-white  island,  and  tell  you 
what  more  you  have  to  do ;  obey  his  directions 
exactly,  for  he  is  your  friend." 

I  then  took  leave  of  the  Persian,  crossed  the  green 
island,  and  about  noon  I  arrived  on  the  opposite 
shore,  where  I  found  the  Moor,  and  again  set  sail. 
On  the  eleventh  day  he  set  me  on  a  white  island 
where  no  green  leaf  grew,  and  said  to  me  : 

"  I  have  now  fulfilled  my  part.  You  must  go 
straight  on  through  seven  valleys,  when  you  will 
arrive  at  a  red  hill,  on  which  a  palace  stands.  Go 
up  and  knock  at  the  door,  and  when  they  ask  who 
knocks,  reply,  'The  fisherman  Joodar  from  Cairo/ 
The  door  will  be  opened,  and  you  will  pass  through 
a  courtyard  into  a  room,  where  you  will  find  an  ivory 
throne  with  golden  legs,  on  which  a  beardless  youth 
is  sitting.  He  is  the  dervish  Shanuda,  and  he  will 
tell  you  what  more  you  have  to  do." 

He  then  took  leave  of  me  and  returned,  but  I  went 
on  to  the  palace,  where  I  found  a  dervish  with 
seven  veils  over  his  face,  sitting  on  a  throne.  When 


176  New  Arabian  Nights. 


I  approached  he  did  not  salute  me,  but  stood  up, 
turned  himself  round  seven  times,  drawing  away 
a  veil  each  time,  till  at  length  I  saw  a  very  hand 
some  youthful  visage.  He  then  sat  down  again, 
gave  me  a  friendly  salutation,  and  said  : 

"Know,  Joodar,  I  have  been  long  waiting  your 
arrival  with  impatience.  Praised  be  the  Lord,  who 
protected  you  and  Mahmood  in  the  Eagle's  Cleft, 
where  so  many  men  have  already  lost  their  lives ! 
But  you  owe  your  preservation  solely  to  the  pious 
tutor  Abul  Ajaib,  who  had  also  the  well-being 
of  the  Muslims  in  view  ;  for  you  are  destined  to 
slay  the  tyrant  Hindmar,  and  to  hew  down  the 
tree  of  Bahram  the  Magian.  Know  also,  Joodar, 
that  just  as  Sanja  is  the  ruler  of  a  thousand  genii 
who  are  subject  to  the  possessor  of  the  sacred  book, 
so  is  Misram  the  ruler  of  the  five  hundred  genii  who 
obey  the  man  who  carries  the  magic  sword  at  his 
side.  When  you  entered  I  saw  the  five  hundred 
genii  behind  you,  who  saluted  me  one  after  another. 
But  Misram  was  absent,  and  when  I  inquired  after 
him  I  heard  that  he  was  with  Queen  Daruma  in  the 
Smoking  Castle  in  the  Valley  of  Camellias.  As  you 
cannot  accomplish  your  undertaking  without  Misram, 
you  must  go  to  Queen  Daruma,  salute  her  from  me, 
and  bring  her  a  small  written  tablet  which  I  will 
give  you  early  to-morrow  morning.  The  queen  will 


Joortar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tunis.    1 77 

be  useful  to  you,  but  beware  of  the  three  hundred 
maidens  who  are  with  her  in  the  castle  or  you  are 
lost,  for  they  are  very  skilful  in  the  magic  art  and 
have  already  destroyed  many  kings  and  princes." 

When  he  had  finished  speaking  he  called  for 
supper,  of  which  he  and  several  other  dervishes  par 
took.  I  then  went  to  bed  to  dream  of  Hysa,  and 
recited  the  following  verse  in  my  sleep : 

"  I  am  not  old  yet,  but  my  black  hair  has  turned 
white  by  reason  of  many  tears." 

When  I  awoke  in  the  morning,  Shanuda  asked  me 
why  I  had  recited  this  verse.  I  was  ashamed  and 
hung  down  my  head  for  a  while,  but  when  he  re 
peated  his  question  I  answered  : 

"  In  the  night  I  dreamed  of  Hysa,  my  beloved 
one,  who  asked  me  why  my  hair  had  turned  grey 
so  suddenly.  I  thought  she  was  only  joking,  for 
I  had'  never  noticed  a  grey  hair  on  my  head,  but 
she  held  up  a  mirror  before  me,  and  I  saw  that  all 
my  hair  had  turned  white,  except  a  few  hairs  in  my 
beard,  which  remained,  black.  I  was  astonished  at 
the  change,  and  recited  the  verse  which  you  seem 
to  have  overheard." 

Shanuda  fetched  a  book  and  read  a  little,  and  then 
said : 

"  Be  joyful,  Joodar,  for  the  dream  indicates  the 
certain  fulfilment  of  your  wishes.  If  the  whole  of 


178  New  Arabian  Nights. 

your  hair  had  turned  white  you  would  be  already 
at  the  goal  ;  but  the  few  remaining  black  hairs 
indicate  some  troubles  and  hindrances  still  lying 
before  you,  but  which  you  will  certainly  surmount 
with  God's  help." 

He  then  fetched  some  provisions,  and  said  : 
"Advance  further  in  this  valley  till  you  come  to 
a  black    mountain,   up    which    an    easy    path    leads. 
Follow  this  path,  which  will  bring  you  to  the  castle 
of  Queen  Daruma." 

It  took  me  ten  days  to  climb  the  black  mountain, 
and  on  the  eleventh  day  I  arrived  in  a  fertile  valley, 
where  a  great  castle  arose  to  the  clouds.  On  the 
castle  stood  a  copper  statue,  which  blew  a  trumpet 
when  I  approached.  Immediately  the  door  of  the 
castle  opened,  and  more  than  a  hundred  maidens 
issued  forth,  clad  in  the  finest  silken  robes,  with 
golden  girdles  round  their  waists,  and  diamond 
crowns  on  their  heads.  They  bowed  down  before 
me  as  if  I  were  a  vizier  or  a  sultan,  and  led  me 
into  the  castle  to  Queen  Daruma,  the  daughter  of 
King  Kashuk.  She  sat  on  a  golden  throne  with 
ivory  legs,  and  decorated  with  many  jewels,  and 
the  crown  on  her  head  shone  so  brilliantly  that  I 
could  not  raise  my  eyes  to  it.  She  was  as  fair  as 
the  full  moon,  but  her  air  was  imposing  and  awe- 
inspiring.  On  her  right  sat  a  hundred  and  fifty 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tunis.   \  79 

slave- girls,  and  the  same  number  on  her  left.  As 
I  entered  the  hall  Daruma  rose  from  her  throne, 
offered  me  her  hand,  saluted  me  by  my  name,  and 
mad-e  me  sit  with  her  on  her  throne.  I  saluted  her 
from  the  dervish  Shanuda,  and  handed  her  the  tablet 
which  he  had  given  me.  She  received  it  with  much 
pleasure  and  locked  it  up  in  a  casket. 

Daruma  then  caused  food  to  be  set  before  me, 
and  drank  with  me  herself.  After  this  she  ordered 
some  of  her  maidens  to  sing  and  play,  and  then  said  : 

"As  you  are  in  love  you  must  have  composed 
some  verses,  and  I  should  much  like  to  hear  them." 

After  I  had  recited  a  few  lines,  in  which  I  ex 
pressed  my  passion  for  Hysa,  she  observed  : 

"  You  are  sure  to  win  Hysa,  but  you  must  first 
think  of  poor  Mahmood,  who  is  nearly  mad  with  love 
for  the  daughters  of  King  Numan.  But  first  of  all 
you  must  slay  the  tyrant  Hindmar,  who  would 
certainly  endanger  my  own  safety  if  he  lived  a  year 
longer.  Know,  Joodar,  that  my  father,  who  was 
a  powerful  king  of  the  genii,  had  an  old  sage  named 
Kandarin  living  with  him.  One  day,  when  he  re 
turned  from  travelling  in  a  country  inhabited  by 
men,  my  father  asked  him  if  he  had  seen  anything 
particularly  beautiful  on  his  journey.  He  answered  : 
4  When  I  came  to  the  city  of  Dalass  I  found  all 
the  inhabitants  in  commotion,  and  the  city  itself 


180  New  Arabian  Nights. 

was  decorated.  I  assumed  a  human  form,  and  asked 
an  old  man  if  there  was  not  some  great  festival  going 
forward.  He  replied,  "  Know  that  the  king  of  this 
city,  whose  name  is  Shamkoor,  has  a  daughter  so 
beautiful  that  human  eyes  have  never  looked  upon 
her  equal.  A  short  time  ago  the  princess  was  so 
ill  that  she  was  mourned  for  as  if  she  was  already 
dead,  but  she  is  now  well,  and  as  she  is  going  to 
ride  out  to-day  for  the  first  time,  her  father  wished 
it  to  be  a  public-  festival."  When  I  heard  this,  I 
resolved  not  to  leave  Dalass  until  I  had  seen  the 
beautiful  princess.  I  had  not  long  to  wait  before 
Shamkoor  and  his  daughter  approached  on  horse 
back,  accompanied  by  many  officers,  and  preceded 
by  musicians  and  torchbearers.  I  joined  the  pro 
cession  in  order  to  observe  the  princess  longer  and 
more  closely,  and  found  her  in  truth  so  perfectly 
lovely  that  I  could  not  attempt  to  describe  her  to 
you.  She  is  the  most  beautiful  object  that  I  have 
seen  in  the  countries  inhabited  by  men.' 

"  My  father  admired  the  daughters  of  men  more 
than  the  daughters  of  the  genii,  and  when  he  heard 
the  story  of  the  wise  Kandarin  he  said  :  '  I  will  travel 
to  Dalass  myself  in  the  form  of  a  human  king,  and 
ask  king  Shamkoor  for  his  daughter.  If  he  consents 
it  will  be  for  his  advantage,  but  if  he  refuses  me  I 
will  seize  her  by  force.' 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tunis.    1 8 1 

"  He  immediately  summoned  a  detachment  of  genii, 
and  commanded  them  to  attend  him  next  day  in 
human  form,  mounted  on  swift  coursers,  and  lightly 
armed.  On  the  following  day,  twenty  thousand  of 
them  assembled,  as  he  had  ordered,  and  my  father 
himself  mounted  a  horse  which  was  rather  larger 
than  those  of  his  attendants,  and  flew  as  swiftly  as  a 
raven.  He  and  Kandarin  rode  to  Dalass  at  the  head 
of  the  troops. 

"  King  Shamkoor  was  alarmed  at  the  sudden  arrival 
of  so  large  an  army  before  his  city,  and  sent  his  vizier 
to  my  father  to  inquire  the  reason  of  his  coming. 
My  father  bade  the  vizier  inform  his  master  that 
King  Kashuk  had  arrived  as  a  suitor  for  the  hand 
of  his  daughter,  and  if  he  consented  he  would  be  his 
friend,  and  would  offer  any  dowry  which  he  chose  to 
demand.  When  the  vizier  returned  with  this  answer 
to  King  Shamkoor,  the  king  went  to  his  daughter, 
and  asked  her  if  she  would  be  willing  to  marry  the 
powerful  King  Kashuk. 

"  The  princess  answered  :  '  Let  him  come  to  the 
race-course,  so  that  I  can  see  him  from  the  castle ; 
and  if  he  pleases  me  I  will  marry  him,  but  if  not,  I 
would  rather  let  him  hew  me  in  pieces  than  consent 
to  become  his  wife  ! ' 

"King  Shamkoor  himself  rode  to  meet  my  father, 

and    gave   him   his    daughter's    answer.       My  father 

17      • 


182  New  Arabian  Nights. 

accepted  the  conditions,  and  on  the  next  day  he 
rode  to  the*  race-course  at  the  head  of  his  troops,  and 
showed  himself  so  accomplished  a  horseman  that  the 
princess  soon  declared  to  her  father  that  she  would 
willingly  become  his  wife. 

"Shamkoor  immediately  summoned  my  father,  and 
said,  '  Take  my  daughter,  for  you  have  won  her 
heart ! ' 

"  He  immediately  provided  an  outfit  for  his  daugh 
ter,  and  when  it  was  completed  my  father  and  his 
bride  rode  away  together  on  horseback,  while  the 
trousseau  of  the  princess  followed  on  three  hundred 
camels. 

"  I  was  the  offspring  of  this  marriage,  and  I  was 
renowned  for  my  beauty,  even  as  a  child,  in  whom  the 
gentleness  and  modesty  of  woman  was  strangely 
blended  with  the  strength  and  majesty  of  the  genii ; 
but  when  I  reached  the  age  of  fifteen,  my  beauty 
became  so  famous  that  the  tyrant  Hindmar  heard  of 
me,  and  demanded  my  hand  in  marriage.  My  father 
immediately  sent  for  Kandarin,  and  asked  him  if  he 
could  refuse  Hindmar  without  bringing  destruction 
upon  himself. 

"Kandarin  replied:  'Tell  him  that  your  daughter  is 
still  too  young  and  delicate  to  marry,  and  if  he  will 
wait  two  years,  she  shall  then  become  his  wife.  If 
he  consents  to  this  delay,  you  have  no  cause  for 


Joodar  of  Cairo  >  and  Mahmood  of  Timis.    183 

further  alarm,  for  I  have  read  in  a  book  that  in  a 
year's  time  a  fisherman  from  Cairo,  named  Joodar, 
the  son  of  Omar,  will  arrive  here,  and  will  kill 
Hindmar  with  a  magic  sword.' 

"My  father  followed  this  advice,  and  the  messengers 
whom  he  sent  to  Hindmar  with  this  evasive  answer, 
returned  with  a  letter  from  him  to  the  effect  that 
he  was  quite  willing  to  wait  two  years. 

"  Kandarin  said  :  '  In  case  Hindmar  should  change 
his  mind,  I  should  advise  you  to  secure  the  safety  of 
your  daughter  by  sending  her  to  my  castle  in  the 
Valley  of  Camellias.  I  have  prepared  a  copper  statue 
with  a  trumpet  in  its  hand,  which  will  sound  the  trum 
pet  as  soon  as  Joodar  climbs  the  hill  upon  which  the 
castle  stands.  Joodar  will  come  here  in  search  of  the 
genius  Misrarn,  and  in  order  to  invoke  him,  he  must 
open  a  little  door  in  the  body  of  the  copper  statue. 
Here  he  will  find  many  loose  leaves,  on  which  the 
letter  "Alif  "  is  written  ;  let  him  search  through  them 
till  he  finds  one  which  has  nothing  written  upon  it. 
If  he  throws  this  into  the  fire,  Misram  will  imme 
diately  appear,  and  assist  him  to  slay  Hindmar.' 

"  My  father  immediately  consigned  me  to  the  care 
of  Kandarin,  with  three  hundred  maidens,  and  I  have 
been  living  here  for  three  months  waiting  for  the 
trumpet  to  sound,  but  the  statue  gave  no  sign  until 
vour  arrival.  This  is  the  reason,  Joodar,  that  I  am 


184  New  Arabian  Nights. 

so  pleased  at  your  arrival,  and  sent  some  of  my 
maidens  to  meet  you.  This  is  all  I  have  to  tell  you  ; 
and  God  alone  is  omniscient." 

When  Daruma  had  finished  speaking,  she  took  my 
hand  and  led  me  to  the  roof  of  the  castle,  where  the 
copper  statue  stood.  I  took  the  little  box,  and  found 
it  to  contain  many  loose  leaves  of  gazelle  skin,  on 
which  an  Alif  was  written.  One  only  was  quite 
white,  and  I  threw  it  on  a  pan  of  coals  which  Daruma 
handed  to  me.  Then  a  smoke  rose  up  to  heaven 
from  the  mouth  of  the  statue,  which  presently  con 
densed  into  the  form  of  a  tremendous  genius,  with  a 
head  like  a  large  copper,  eyes  cleft  longitudinally, 
and  nostrils  emitting  torrents  of  fire. 

When  he  stood  before  me,  he  exclaimed  in  a  voice 
like  thunder :  "  Here  am  I,  my  master ;  help  is  at 
hand  ;  the  appointed  time  has  come  ;  and  I  obey  the 
possessor  of  the  magic  sword,  to  whom  I  am  subject." 

"  Behold  the  power  of  your  sword  !  "  exclaimed 
Daruma ;  "  this  fearful  genius  trembles  in  your 
presence  like  a  reed  in  the  hurricane." 

Misram  then  turned  to  Daruma,  and  asked  her 
to  explain  to  me  the  meaning  of  the  other  leaves  in 
the  box. 

Then  she  said  :  "  Know,  Joodar,  that  Misram  has 
two  sons,  one  named  Mahik,  and  the  other  Lahik, 
whom  he  loves  so  tenderly  that  he  would  not  live 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tun  is.    \  8  5 

long  if  he  could  not  visit  them  occasionally.  When 
Sintbest  made  him  subject  to  this  sword,  -he  asked 
as  a  favour  to  be  allowed  to  spend  three  days  every 
month  with  his  sons.  Sintbest  granted  his  request, 
prepared  these  leaves  of  gazelle-skin,  and  gave  him 
one  every  month  as  a  passport  for  his  journey ;  but 
as  you  are  now  the  possessor  of  the  magic  sword, 
it  has  become  your  business  to  give  him  leave  of 
absence  for  three  days  every  month,  by  giving  him 
one  of  these  leaves,  without  which  he  cannot  quit 
you  for  an  instant." 

She  then  said  to  Misram  :  "  I  have  no  doubt  that 
you  will  not  find  Joodar  a  harder  master  than 
Sintbest ;  and  on  the  other  hand,  as  Joodar  is  an 
ordinary  man  who  has  never  had  any  dealings  with 
genii  before,  you  should  assume  a  more  friendly 
aspect  towards  him,  that  he 'may  feel  at  ease  in  your 
presence." 

Misram  vanished  for  an  instant,  and  reappeared  in 
the  form  of  a  handsome  beardless  youth,  with  mild 
black,  eyes,  rosy  checks,  white  forehead,  coral  lips, 
and  a  neck  as  white  as  crystal. 

"  Now  then,  Joodar,"  said  he,  as  I  was  looking  at 
him  with  astonishment,  "  we  must  start  at  once,  if  we 
wish  to  encounter  Hindmar  at  the  time  appointed." 

I  took  leave  of  Daruma,  and  followed  Misram  for 
two  days,  without  feeling  the  slightest  fatigue  ;  and 


i86          .      New   Arabian  Nights. 

at  length  we  reached  a  large  tent,  and  heard  a  lamen 
table  voice  crying  out  within  :  "  O  merciful  God,  who 
brought  Job  to  the  end  of  his  sufferings  ;  have  pity 
also  on  mine  !  " 

I  opened  the  tent  hastily,  and  found  a  naked  man 
lying  on  the  ground.  He  was  covered  with  bleeding 
wounds,  and  his  hands  and  feet  were  chained  to 
gether  with  heavy  iron  chains.  I  cried  out :  "  Peace 
be  with  you,"  and  he  answered : 

"  May  God's  peace,  blessing,  and  mercy  rest  on 
you  also.  But  who  are  you  ?  " 

"  I  am  a  human  being." 

"  And  who  brought  you  here  ? " 

"  The  Almighty,  to  whom  nothing  is  difficult.  But 
tell  me  how  you  fell  into  your  present  painful 
condition." 

"  I  am  tortured  by  two  black  slaves,  who  have 
been  ill-using  me  thus  for  the  last  ten  days." 

"  For  what  reason  ?  " 

"  Because  I  will  not  renounce  my  religion  and 
adopt  theirs." 

"  When  do  they  usually  visit  you  ? " 

"  Unfortunately  I  expect  them  this  very  hour. 
Escape  speedily  if  you  would  not  share  my  fate, 
for  the  two  slaves  carry  scourges  heavy  enough  to 
kill  an  elephant." 

"  Fear   nothing   more,  for    I   certainly    came  here 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tunis.  187 

under  Divine  guidance  to  free  you  from  your  suffer 
ings.  What  is  your  name  ?  " 

u  My  name  is  Hatim,  and  I  come  from  the  town 
of  Baser.  I  was  travelling  with  my  bride,  who  was 
taken  from  me  by  violence,  and  I  know  no  more 
than  this." 

"  Do  not  be  uneasy,  trust  in  God,  and  have 
patience,  for  patience  is  the  key  of  deliverance." 

After  this  conversation  I  left  the  tent  and  hid 
myself  behind  a  tree  near,  and  waited  for  the  return 
of  the  slaves.  When  they  entered  the  tent  I  went 
up  to  the  door,  ready  to  assist  Hatim  at  any  moment, 
took  my  sword  from  the  case,  and  put  it  together. 
Presently  I  heard  one  of  the  slaves  say  : 

"  Have  pity  on  yourself  and  renounce  your  religion, 
and  adopt  that  of  our  king,  and  exhort  your  bride 
likewise  to  obey  the  king,  and  you  will  then  expe 
rience  nothing  but  good  treatment  at  our  hands  ;  but 
if  you  still  refuse,  both  you  and  your  wife  will  be 
tortured  until  our -great  festival,  when  you  will  both 
be  offered  up  in  sacrifice  to  our  crystal  idol." 

But  Hatim  replied :  "  There  is  only  one  true 
religion,  that  of  Mohammed  the  son  of  Abdallah  ; 
your  king  may  treat  me  as  he  pleases,  but  I  will 
maintain  till  the  last  gasp  that  there  is  but  one  God, 
and  that  Mohammed  is  His  Prophet." 

When  the  slaves  heard  this  they  placed  themselves 


1 88  New  Arabian  Nights. 

one  on  his  right  and  the  other  on  his  left,  and 
raised  their  arms  till  their  armpits  became  visible, 
but  at  the  same  moment,  when  they  were  about 
to  strike  Hatim,  I  rushed  into  the  tent  and  cried 
out: 

"  Woe  to  you,  you  accursed  idolaters !  Let  this 
man  alone,  or  I  will  avenge  him." 

The  slaves  turned  round,  and  when  they  saw  me 
they  laughed  and  cried  out  : 

"Who  are  you?" 

They  then  raised  their  scourges  against  me,  but 
I  sprang  forward  with  my  sword,  and  I  had  scarcely 
touched  them  with  it  when  their  heads  flew  from 
their  bodies.  I  then  unbound  Hatim,  who  was  over 
joyed  at  his  unexpected  deliverance,  and  gave  him 
something  to  eat.  When  he  had  recovered  a  little 
I  asked  him  how  he  came  to  this  place. 

"  My  story  is  wonderful,"  he  replied,  "and  if  it  was 
written  with  a  needle  in  the  pupil  of  the  eye,  it 
would  serve  as  a  warning  to  every  one.  Know  that 
some  years  ago -a  young  king  reigned  in  my  native 
city  of  Baser,  who  was  called  Kink  the  Persian,  and 
who  was  the  wildest  young  man  in  the  world.  I  saw 
and  heard  so  much  of  his  irregularities  that  I  began 
to  be  alarmed  for  the  safety  of  my  cousin,  to  whom 
I  had  long  been  betrothed,  and  to  whom  I  was 
greatly  attached  We  left  the  town  of  Baser  by 


189 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Timis.    \  9 1 

night,  thinking  only  to  escape  the  tyranny  of  our 
king,  but  without  knowing  where  to  travel  to,  or 
what  road  to  follow.  We  journeyed  on  beaten  roads 
for  ten  days,  and  then  arrived  in  a  great  desert, 
where  we  saw  a  lofty  marble  pillar  on  which  hung 
a  steel  tablet  bearing  the  following  inscription : 
'  Wanderer,  when  you  reach  this  place  do  not  turn 
to  the  right  or  you  will  be  destroyed,  nor  to  the  left 
or  you  will  meet  your  death,  but  keep  straight 
on  through  the  valley,  and  you  will  be  secure.'  I 
said  to  my  bride  :  '  See  what  good  people  do  for 
travellers ! '  We  then  entered  the  valley  which  was 
pointed  out  to  us,  and  soon  arrived  at  a  plain, 
through  which  ran  a  clear  brook  bordered  with 
beautiful  fruit  trees,  in  the  branches  of  which  birds 
sang  praises  to  their  Creator. 

" '  We  are  out  of  our  difficulties/  said  I,  '  and  we 
will  rest  here.'  I  dismounted  from  my  camel,  and 
helped  my  bride  to  descend  from  her  litter.  The 
camels  grazed  in  the  green  meadow,  while  we 
gathered  some  fruit  and  drank  water  from  the  brook. 
We  were  delighted  with  this  place,  after  having 
wandered  through"  a  barren  district  where  for  ten 
days  we  could  procure  very  little  food.  As  soon  as 
we  had  satisfied  our  hunger  and  thirst  we  lay  down 
on  our  carpet  and  fell  asleep.  Praise  to  Him  who 
never  sleeps  !  But  when  we  awbke  we  found  our- 


192  New  Arabian  Nights. 

selves  in  the  presence  of  a  king  who  resembled  one 
of  the  old  Amalekites,  for  he  was  more  than  thirty 
feet  high.  Many  officers  stood  round  him,  but  he 
himself  sat  on  a  throne,  to  which  four  lions  were 
bound  with  silver  chains. 

" '  Do  you  know  me  ? '  he  asked,  when  we  opened 
our  eyes. 

"  '  No,  my  Lord,  we  do  not  know  you,'  we  replied. 

"  '  Know,'  replied  he,  '  that  I  am  King  Mudfil,  and 
have  already  subjected  many  kings  to  my  crystal 
idol.  He  who  worships  him  may  demand  of  me 
whatever  he  desires ;  but  whoever  refuses  to  worship 
him  is  destroyed.  I  now  command  you  also  to 
worship  my  idol,  and  if  you  will  do  so  I  will  give 
you  an  honourable  appointment,  and  will  receive  the 
damsel  into  my  castle,  but  if  you  refuse  you  will 
pay  dearly  for  your  disobedience.' 

" '  I  will  never  obey  your  bidding/  I  exclaimed 
indignantly.  '  How  shall  I  bow  before  an  idol  that 
can  neither  do  good  nor  harm  ?  I  will  only  worship 
Him  who  has  created  me,  and  has  given  me  ears  to 
hear  with,  eyes  to  see  with,  and  feet  to  walk  with. 
There  is  but  one  God,  who  has  created  the  day  and 
the  night,  the  sun  and  the  moon  ;  from  whom  no 
thing  is  hidden,  either  on  earth  or  in  heaven.  I  there 
fore  advise  you  to  give  up  worshipping  your  idol,  and 
to  worship  the  only"  true  God.  You  will  then  escape 


He  sat  on  a  throne  to  which  four  lions  were  bound. 


18 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  T^lnis.    195 

from  hell,  and  at  length  come  into  Paradise,  among 
hooris  and  beautiful  youths.' 

"  When  Mudfil  heard  this,  he  sprang  up  in  a  rage 
and  cried  out :  '  How  dare  you  insult  a  king  like  I 
am?' 

"  He  then  called  one  of  his  servants  and  ordered 
him  to  slaughter  one  of  the  four  lions  and  bring  it 
to  him.  The  slave  slaughtered  the  lion,  skinned 
it,  roasted  it,  and  presented  it  to  the  king,  who 
devoured  it  in  an  instant.  Then  he  commanded  this 
tent  to  be  erected  in  which  we  now  are,  and 
ordered  the  two  slaves  whom  you  have  slain  to 
torture  me  until  I  should  renounce  my  religion  ; 
but  what  has  become  of  my  bride  I  do  not  know. 
That  is  all  I  have  to  tell  you." 

"Doubt  not,"  answered  I,  "that  He  who  sent  me 
to  you  is  also  powerful  enough  to  save  your  bride." 

I  then  called  Misram  and  ordered  him  to  guide 
me  to  Mudfil,  and  to  release  the  bride  of  Hatim. 

"  Follow  me,"  said  Misram.  4<  Mudfil  is  now  in  the 
Castle  of  Leopards,  three  days'  journey  from  here." 

Hatim  and  I  then  rose  up  and  followed  Misram, 
who  led  us  across  mountains  and  valleys  without 
stopping  for  three  days,  and  yet  we  did  not  feel  at 
all  weary.  On  the  third  day,  Misram  said  :  "  Sit 
down  here  till  I  come  back." 

We  rested  under  a  tree  for  some  hours,  when  we 


196  New  Arabian  Nights. 

suddenly  perceived  a  cloud  of  dust  in  the  distance. 
Presently  five  hundred  cavaliers  appeared,  mounted 
on  Arabian  steeds.  They  bore  Indian  spears  in  their 
hands  and  were  armed  with  Davidian  coats  of  mail. 
When  they  neared  us  a  horseman  of  gigantic  size, 
and  entirely  encased  in  iron,  rode  forward  from  their 
midst. 

Hatim  cried  out :  "  Woe  to  us,  for  this  is  certainly 
Mudfil,  and  if  he  sees  me  he  will  assuredly  slay  us 
both." 

I  took  the  strips  of  steel  hurriedly  from  the 
case,  and  fitted  them  together ;  but  the  horseman 
cried  out  to  me  in  a  voice  of  thunder  :  "  Sheath  your 
sword,  my  lord  Joodar,  for  I  am  Misram,  and  come 
with  my  army  to  fight  against  Mudfil  to  release 
Turaia,  the  bride  of  Hatim.  We  are  close  to  his 
castle,  and  you  had  better  wait  here  till  I  summon 
you."  He  then  returned  to  his  troops,  sounded 
the  trumpets,  and  unfurled  the  flags,  and  marched 
against  the  castle. 

When  Mudfil  heard  the  clang  of  arms  before  his 
castle,  he  sent  his  vizier  to  Misram  to  ask  who  he  was 
and  what  he  wanted.  Misram  answered  :  "  Go  and 
tell  your  master  that  Misram,  the  son  of  Akoos, 
requires  him  to  surrender  Turaia,  and  if  he  does  not 
instantly  obey,  Misram  will  strike  off  his  head  and 
break  his  crystal  idol  into  a  thousand  pieces." 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tunis.    \  9  7 

When  Mudfil  received  this  answer  from  the  vizier, 
he  foamed  with  rage,  and  cursed  and  threatened. 
Then  he  called  all  his  people  together,  informed  them 
of  what  he  had  heard  from  the  vizier,  and  called 
upon  them  to  march  with  him  against  the  insolent 
Misram. 

But  as  soon  as  Mudfil  and  his  troops  left  the  castle 
and  formed  their  ranks  in  preparation  for  a  general 
attack,  Misram  cried  out :  "  Who  will  accept  my 
challenge,  and  who  will  dare  to  match  his  strength 
with  mine  ?  I  speak  not  to  those  who  know  me,  but 
to  those  who  know  me  not.  I  declare  that  I  am 
Misram,  the  son  of  Akoos,  who  fears  neither  white 
nor  black,  nor  men  nor  genii." 

Upon  this  challenge,  a  horseman  rode  forth  from 
the  army  of  Mudfil.  He  was  as  tall  as  the  tallest 
date-tree,  and  carried  a  great  iron  club  on  his 
shoulder.  He  stopped  opposite  to  Misram,  and  said 
to  him :  "  How  dare  you  defy  a  king,  when  your 
following  is  so  small  ? "  He  then  rushed  upon 
Misram  and  smote  him  with  his  club,  but  it  had  no 
more  effect  upon  him  than  the  fall  of  a  feather.  All 
the  spectators  supposed  that  Misram  was  overthrown, 
but  a  single  flash  of  fire  from  his  mouth  sufficed  to 
stretch  his  adversary  lifeless  on  the  ground. 

When  Mudfil  saw  this  he  turned  to  his  followers 
and  said  :  "  Who  will  avenge  the  fallen  warrior  ? " 


198  New  Arabian  Nights. 

Immediately  a  second  horseman  came  forward  and 
rushed  upon  Misram.  But  he  had  scarcely  put  his 
horse  to  a  gallop,  when  Misram  overthrew  him  like  his 
predecessor.  Eighteen  horsemen  advanced  one  after 
another,  who  were  all  consumed  to  ashes  by  Misram. 
Mudfil  struck  himself  in  the  face  with  rage  so  violently 
that  he  almost  knocked  his  eyes  out  of  his  head,  and 
then  turned  to  a  black  slave,  who  had  just  arrived 
with  a  reinforcement  of  a  thousand  horsemen,  and 
commanded  him  to  attack  Misram,  to  avenge  the 
death  of  his  brethren  and  to  uphold  the  honour  of 
the  idol. 

Jamus,  the  black  warrior,  answered  :  "  It  is  quite 
time  that  I  ceased  to  stand  here  as  a  mere  spectator. 
I  will  satisfy  your  thirst  for  vengeance,  and  de 
liver  Misram  over  alive  into  your  hands  that  you 
may  offer  him  as  a  sacrifice  to  your  idol."  Upon 
this  he  rushed  upon  Misram,  lifting  a  club  which 
would  have  crushed  an  elephant.  Misram  did  not 
stir  from  his  place,  and  only  breathed  on  Jamus' right 
arm,  which  fell  to  the  ground.  Jamus  drew  his  sword 
with  his  left  hand  and  attacked  Misram  again,  but  he 
only  breathed  on  his  left  arm,  and  this  also  fell  to  the 
ground.  Upon  this  Jamus  fled,  and  Mudfil's  troops 
who  had  been  looking  on  cried  out  together:  "We 
cannot  contend  any  longer  against  a  hero  like 
Misram." 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tunis.    1 99 

Then  Mudfil  said:  "If  no  one  else  dare  contend 
with  Misram  I  will  attempt  it  myself,  but  I  must  first 
consult  the  idol."  But  while  he  was  on  his  knees 
before  the  idol  praying  for  help,  Misram  ordered  him 
to  be  seized  by  two  genii  and  carried  under  the  tree 
where  Hatim  and  I  were  sitting. 

"What  help  have  you  received  from  your  idol?" 
asked  Misram,  laughing. 

"I  think  he  is  angry  with  me,"  answered  Mudfil. 

Misram  then  said  to  Hatim  : "  Here  is  your  enemy, 
deal  with  him  as  you  think  best." 

Hatim  then  turned  to  Mudfil  saying :  "Tell  me  the 
truth,  and  all  shall  be  forgiven  you  ;  but  if  you  tell  me 
a  lie,  it  shall  cost  you  your  life.  What  has  become 
of  my  bride  Turaia  ?  " 

"  She  is  safe  in  my  castle  and  kindly  treated,  but 
she  sighs  for  you  continually,  and  weeps  without 
ceasing." 

"Bring  her  here,"  said  Hatim,  "and  prove  the 
truth  of  your  words." 

Mudfil  rose  up  and  was  about  to  return  to  his 
castle,  but  Misram  said  :  "  You  shall  not  stir  from 
the  spot  until  you  acknowledge  that  your  idol  is  a 
senseless  object  which  can  do  neither  good  nor  evil, 
and  that  there  is  but  one  true  God." 

When  Mudfil  heard  this  he  exclaimed :  "  O  my 
crystal  god,  now  is  thy  time  to  display  thy  power ! 


2OO  New  Arabian  Nights. 

Remember  that  I  have  worshipped  thee  for  fifty 
years,  and  have  devoted  much  time  every  year  to  thy 
honour.  I  have  sacrificed  kings  and  princes  to  thee, 
therefore  save  me  now  in  my  hour  of  danger !  " 

But  Misram  had  already  sent  a  genius  to  fetch 
the  idol,  and  before  Mudfil  had  finished  his  prayer 
the  idol  was  set  before  him  with  its  head  on  the 
ground  and  its  feet  in  the  air.  Misram  dashed  it  to 
pieces,  and  said  to  Mudfil  :  "  What  help  will  you  get 
from  your  idol  now  ? " 

"I  see  plainly,"  answered  Mudfil,  "that  he  can 
neither  help  himself  nor  me,  and  I  must  therefore  ask 
you  to  teach  me  a  better  religion." 

"Know  then,"  returned  Misram,  "that  there  is  but 
one  God,  and  that  Mohammed  is  his  Prophet." 

After  Mudfil  had  repeated  the  profession  of  the 
faith,  to  our  great  joy,  we  went  with  him  to  the  castle. 
He  then  assembled  all  his  followers,  and  related  what 
had  passed  between  himself  and  Misram,  upon  which 
they  all  acknowledged  themselves  Muslims.  He  then 
sent  for  Turaia,  who  fainted  with  joy  when  she  saw 
Hatim  again.  We  remained  at  Mudfil's  castle  for 
three  days,  and  instructed  him  in  prayer,  ablutions, 
and  fasting,  and  gave  him  a  description  of  hell  and 
paradise,  and  taught  him  the  other  articles  of  the 
faith  of  Islam.  He  treated  us  with  kingly  hospitality, 
and  would  have  made  us  very  costly  presents,  but  I 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tunis.   201 

thanked  him  and  said :  "  Do  for  Hatim  what  you 
propose  to  do  for  me." 

Mudfil  then  asked  Hatim  whether  he  would 
prefer  to  go  to  some  other  country  or  to  remain  with 
him. 

"  Give  me  the  tent,"  said  Hatim,  "  which  is  pitched 
in  the  beautiful  valley,  and  where  I  suffered  so  much, 
and  give  me  a  few  necessaries,  and  I  shall  live  happily 
there  with  Turaia." 

"You  shall  have  all  this,"  answered  Mudfil,  "and 
I  will  make  you  an  annual  allowance  that  shall 
not  only  suffice  for  all  your  needs,  but  enable  you 
to  entertain  all  the  travellers  who  come  into  this 
neighbourhood.  I  owe  this  reparation  to  the  one 
God  whom  you  have  taught  me  to  know,  for  the 
many  outrages  I  have  inflicted  on  the  travellers  whom 
the  tablet  on  the  marble  pillar  betrayed  into  my 
hands." 

King  Mudfil  himself  accompanied  Hatim  and 
Turaia  to  their  tent,  and  stationed  a  detachment  of 
troops  in  the  neighbourhood  for  their  protection. 
But  Misram  and  I  took  leave  of  them,  and  travelled 
on  for  another  ten  days  through  waste  and  desert 
places,  where  there  was  neither  a  green  leaf  nor  a 
living  creature  to  be  seen.  On  the  eleventh  day  we 
reached  a  fertile  valley,  and  Misram  asked  me  for 
three  days'  leave  of  absence.  I  gave  him  one  of  the 


2O2  New  Arabian  Nights. 

parchment  leaves  and  he  flew  away.  But  when  I 
wished  to  satisfy  my  hunger  with  the  fruit  that  grew 
in  the  valley,  I  found  it  so  bitter  that  I  could  not 
eat  it,  and  was  obliged  to  fall  back  on  my  stock  of 
provisions,  which  was  so  slender  that  it  was  already 
quite  exhausted  on  the  second  day.  On  the  third 
day  I  was  so  hungry  that  I  rose  up  to  go  in  search 
either  of  provisions  or  of  some  inhabited  place.  At 
the  end  of  the  valley  I  perceived  a  large  stone  build 
ing  with  a  handsome  gate  of  walnut-wood,  standing 
on  a  hill.  I  went  up  to  it  and  read  the  following 
inscription  on  the  gate  : — "  Traveller,  whom  fate  has 
led  to  this  spot,  if  you  are  hungry,  we  will  feed  you  ; 
if  you  are  naked,  we  will  clothe  you  ;  if  you  have  lost 
your  way,  we  will  guide  you  on  your  road  ;  and  if 
you  visit  us,  we  will  regard  you  as  the  master  and 
ourselves  as  your  guests." 

When  I  had  read  this  verse,  I  thought:  "What 
could  be  more  desirable  at  this  moment  than  such 
a  hospitable  abode  ?  I  will  enter,  and  appease  my 
hunger,  until  Misram  returns." 

I  had  scarcely  knocked,  when  a  voice  from  within 
cried  out  :  "  Who  is  there  ? " 

I  answered  :  "  I  am  a  poor  hungry  traveller." 

"  You  are  welcome  here,"  responded  the  voice  ; 
and  the  door  was  opened  immediately. 

A  black    slave    met   me,    led   me  into   a   cheerful 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tunis.  203 

room,  and  made  me  sit  down  on  a  handsome  divan. 
He  then  left  me  for  an  instant,  and  returned  carry 
ing  a  golden  dish,  filled  with  meat  and  vegetables, 
swimming  in  fat,  which  he  set  before  me  with  a 
trembling  hand,  and  then  withdrew. 

As  I  was  nearly  dying  of  hunger,  I  stretched 
out  my  hand,  saying:  "  In  the  name  of  the  All- 
merciful  God  ! " 

But  as  I  was  about  to  put  a  morsel  to  my  mouth, 
I  heard  a  voice  exclaim,  "  Do  not  eat  !  " 

I  laid  down  the  piece,  and  looked  round  me  on 
all  sides,  but  saw  no  one. 

I  put  my  hand  into  the  dish  again,  and  took 
up  a  small  piece  of  meat ;  but  when  it  approached 
my  lips,  I  heard  the  same  voice  say  again :  "  Do  not 
eat ! " 

I  looked  again  to  the  right  and  left,  but  saw 
no  one. 

But  when  I  was  about  to  eat  for  the  third  time, 
and  again  received  the  same  warning,  without  see 
ing  anybody,  I  said:  "Whoever  you  are,  who  speak 
to  me,  without  showing  yourself,  tell  me  why  I 
should  not  eat,  for  I  am  ready  to  perish  with 
hunger." 

The  voice  answered  :  "  Look  to  your  right  hand," 
and  when  I  turned  round,  I  beheld  Misram,  who 
said:  "My  lord  Joodar,  if  you  had  eaten  a  single 


204  New  Arabian  Nights. 

morsel  of  this  meat,  you  would  have  melted  like 
hot  lead,  your  sword  would  have  been  taken  from 
you,  and  I  should  have  been  forced  to  work  for 
ruthless  masters  for  the  rest  of  my  life,  and  Mahmood 
would  have  died  of  despair.  Praise  be  to  God,  who 
sent  me  to  you  at  the  right  moment!  Know,  Joodar, 
that  this  building  belongs  to  an  old  enchantress, 
who  worships  the  Fire  ;  and  the.  inscription  on  the 
door  is  intended  to  decoy  travellers,  all  of  whom 
she  sends  to  her  cousin  Hindmar,  who  roasts  and 
eats  them  as  if  they  were  fowls.  I  will  tell  you 
more  when  you  have  slain  the  black  slave,  who 
is  now  sitting  on  the  terrace  of  the  castle.  Go  up, 
and  when  he  hears  you,  he  will  spring  forward  with 
a  loud  cry,  then  touch  him  with  your  sword,  and 
he  will  fall  down  in  a  heap  of  ashes.  If  the 
enchantress  should  return  to-morrow  in  search  of 
booty,  treat  her  in  the  same  manner,  and  we  will 
then  go  together  to  attack  Hindmar,  the  scourge 
of  the  Muslims." 

I  slew  the  black  slave,  and  then  returned  to 
Misram,  who  said  :  "  Let  us  hide  ourselves  in  this 
cabinet,  lest  the  sorceress  should  fly  from  us  when 
she  sees  us,  and  work  more  evil  in  the  world." 

I  followed  Misram  into  a  cabinet,  close  to  the 
door  of  the  room,  and  we  remained  there  till  the 
following  day.  Then  we  suddenly  heard  a  great 


f 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tunis.   205 

noise  in  the  building  as  if  it  thundered,  and  lo, 
the  enchantress  entered  the  room,  and  sat  down 
on  a  divan  at  the  upper  end.  She  had  the  head 
of  a  buffalo,  but  very  small  eyes  and  ears ;  a  neck 
as  yellow  as  falling  leaves,  a  mouth  like  a  trumpet, 
a  body  like  an  ass,  teeth  like  an  elephant,  and  a 
tongue  hanging  down  on  her  breast. 

"That  is  old  Jakka,"  said  Misram ;  "Hindmar's 
remorseless  cousin." 

When  I  heard  this,  I  drew  my  sword,  sprang 
from  the  cabinet,  and  clove  her  in  twain.  A  thick 
smoke  rose  up  to  heaven,  which  then  collected 
together,  and  fell  down  in  a  heap  of  ashes. 

Misram  screamed  for  joy  like  a  woman,  when 
he  saw  the  old  monster  reduced  to  a  heap  of  ashes, 
and  said:  "All  will  succeed  with  us,  Joodar,  for 
Hindmar  himself  will  soon  share  the  fate  of  his 
cousin,  and  we  shall  then  be  near  the  attainment 
of  our  object." 

Misram  then  collected  together  all  the  silver, 
gold  and  jewels,  which  lay  in  great  heaps  in  the 
palace,  loaded  ten  genii  with  the  booty,  and  said : 
"Go  to  Egypt  to  the  Eagle's  Cleft,  where  you  will 
find  the  Moor  Mahmood,  who  is  expecting  you. 
Kiss  his  hands  and  feet,  deliver  him  these  treasures, 
and  tell  him  that  all  has  gone  well  with  us,  and 
we  hope  soon  to  return  to  him." 


19 


1 


206  New  Arabian  Nights. 


The  genii  returned  in  a  few  hours,  with  greetings 
from  Mahmood,  and  informed  us  that  he  had  already 
read  in  his  book  of  the  destruction  of  the  monster, 
and  he  now  prayed  continually  that  we  should  also 
succeed  in  our  undertakings  against  Hindmar. 

"  I  have  still  less  doubt  of  our  success  than  I 
had  before,"  said  Misram,  "  for  on  my  last  journey 
I  have  succeeded  in  winning  the  alliance  of  Shil- 
shanum,  the  son  of  Jaljamook,  the  trusted  dervish  of 
Hindmar.  No  one  knows  whether  Jaljamook  is  a 
Jew,  a  Christian,  or  a  Muslim,  but  he  is  a  most 
skilful  physician,  and  is  therefore  in  great  favour 
with  Hindmar.  Hindmar  was  once  so  ill  that  his 
best  physicians  considered  him  incurable,  and  did 
not  think  it  worth  while  to  continue  to  prescribe  for 
him.  When  Jaljamook  heard  this,  he  asked  leave 
to  see  the  king,  and  as  soon  as  he  felt  his  pulse, 
he  said  : 

" '  My  lord,  you  have  an  internal  complaint,  for 
which  there  is  but  one  cure ;  you  must  eat  the 
flesh  of  men,  and  drink  their  blood.' 

"As  soon  as  Jaljamook  said  this,  Hindmar 
ordered  one  of  his  subject  genii  to  fetch  him  a 
man.  The  genius  flew  like  lightning  to  a  country 
inhabited  by  men,  carried  away  a  fat  man,  and 
brought  him  to  Hindmar. 

"Jaljamook  examined  him  and  said:  'That  is  right' 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  T^m^s.    207 

hang  him  up  by  the  feet  with  his  head  hanging 
down,  for  three  days,  and  on  the  fourth  day,  cut 
off  his  head,  catch  the  blood  in  a  golden  dish,  and 
drink  it  quite  warm,  and  you  will  soon  fall  asleep. 
Meanwhile  let  them  roast  the  flesh  of  the  victim 
for  you  to  eat  when  you  awake,  and  you  will  soon 
be  as  well  as  ever.' 

"As  Hindmar  speedily  recovered  his  health  in 
this  manner,  he  loaded  Jaljamook  with  royal  favours, 
and  proclaimed  through  his  whole  kingdom  :  '  Let 
him  who  loves  and  honours  Hindmar,  also  love  and 
honour  Jaljamook,  his  preserver.' 

As  Hindmar  was  subject  to  frequent  attacks  of 
his  old  complaint,  he  used  to  feed  constantly  on 
men,  and  sent  for  them  in  all  directions;  if  they 
were  fat,  they  were  slaughtered  immediately,  but 
if  not,  they  were  fattened  on  the  flesh  of  fowls  and 
geese.  That  is  the  reason  why  his  old  cousin, 
who  was  devoted  to  him,  built  this  castle  with  a 
treacherous  inscription  on  the  door,  and  when  any 
one  entered,  she  gave  him  a  sleeping  potion  in  his 
food,  and  sent  him  to  Hindmar. 

"  Hindmar  has  thus  lived  by  rapine  and  murder 
for  many  years,  and  he  is  dreaded  everywhere,  but 
no  king  dares  to  make  war  upon  him,  for  he  is  as 
brave  in  war  as  his  empire  is  mighty,  and  he  rules 
over  an  innumerable  army.  But  some  months  ago 


208  New  Arabian  Nights. 

he  became  suddenly  so  uneasy  without  any  visible 
cause  that  he  sent  for  Jaljamook,  and  asked  if  some 
misfortune  were  not  impending  over  him. 

"Jaljamook  read  in  a  book  for  a  short  time,  and 
then  said  :  *  Beware  of  a  man  coming  from  Egypt, 
armed  with  the  magic  sword  of  Sintbest,  which  is 
victorious  over  both  men  and  genii.  I  will  cast 
you  a  copper  statue  with  a  trumpet  in  its  hand, 
which  it  will  sound  as  soon  as  this  man  comes 
against  your  castle.  When  you  hear  the  trumpet 
sound,  send  for  me  immediately,  that  I  may  en 
deavour  to  neutralize  the  magic  of  the  sword  ;  but 
otherwise  you  are  lost,  and  all  your  enemies  will 
rejoice  at  your  overthrow.' 

"  Hindmar  now  felt  his  mind  at  ease ;  but  on  the 
very  day  that  you  set  sail  for  Alexandria,  the  statue 
blew  such  a  blast  in  the  trumpet  that  the  whole 
castle  shook.  Upon  this,  he  sent  hastily  for  Jalja 
mook,  and  said  :  '  The  man  with  the  magic  sword 
must  be  near,  for  the  trumpet  sounded  so  loud  that 
it  nearly  deafened  me.' 

"  *  Fear  nothing,'  answered  Jaljamook,  '  for  I  will 
devise  four  traps  for  our  enemy,  from  which  he  can 
not  escape  alive,  unless  he  should  be  warned  of  them 
by  some  traitor.'  However,  he  could  not  make  all 
his  preparations  himself,  and  was  forced  to  take  his 
son  Shilshanum  into  his  confidence.  But  Shilshanum 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tunis.   2oc; 

is  secretly  a  Muslim,  and  has  long  abhorred  the 
reckless  life  of  Hind  mar,  who  worships  the  Fire. 
Besides,  he  and  my  two  sons  were  friends  in  their 
childhood  ;  and  therefore,  when  I  met  him  on  my 
last  journey,  he  told  me  everything,  and  promised 
to  await  us  on  the  Bird  Mountain,  which  we  must 
scale  before  we  can  approach  Hindmar.  He  will 
there  instruct  you  how  to  overcome  the  fourfold 
danger  which  awaits  you.  But  let  us  not  waste  any 
more  time  here." 

As  we  left  the  palace,  Misram  ordered  some  genii 
to  destroy  it,  and  it  was  instantly  reduced  to  a  heap 
of  ashes.  Then  we  travelled  on  for  another  twenty 
days,  until  we  came  to  a  very  high  mountain,  as 
green  as  grass. 

"  This  is  the  Bird  Mountain,"  said  Misram,  "  and 
beyond  this  is  the  Valley  of  Fire,  and  beyond  the 
Valley  of  Fire  is  the  castle  of  Hindmar."  We  re 
mained  at  the  foot  «of  the  mountain  for  two  days, 
because  it  was  so  steep  that  we  were  unable  to  climb 
it.  On  the  third  day  we  discovered  a  flight  of  steps 
cut  in  the  rock,  which  led  us  up  the  mountain.  On 
the  summit  stood  a  castle,  with  its  foundations  on 
the  ground,  and  its  summit  in  the  clouds  ;  and  on 
the  terrace  stood  a  copper  bird  as  large  as  an  eagle. 
The  castle  door  was  open,  and  a  maiden  stood  before 
it,  who  gave  us  a  friendly  reception,  and  asked  me 


210  New  Arabian  Nights. 

if  I  was  not  Joodar.  When  I  assented,  she  returned, 
"  A  good  welcome  to  one  to  whom  Islam  will  be 
so  greatly  indebted  !  Follow  me,  with  your  friend 
Misram."  She  then  led  us  to  the  terrace  of  the 
castle,  to  a  very  aged  blind  man  near  the  copper 
bird.  As  soon  as  we  came  upon  the  terrace,  the 
bird  turned  round  three  times,  and  spread  its  wings. 
Then  the  old  man  leaped  up  for  joy,  and  the  maiden 
cried  out.  I  asked  for  an  explanation,  and  she  said : 
"Know,  Joodar,  that  this  old  '  man  is  my  father. 
My  mother  has  long  been  dead,  but  I  have  a  sister 
named  Badia,  who,  even  in  her  eighth  year,  was 
the  most  beautiful  girl  in  the  world.  We  lived 
happily  together  for  some  years  after  my  mother's 
death,  when  one  day  a  genius  as  high  as  a  date- 
palm  took  Badia  on  his  arm,  and  flew  away  with 
her.  It  is  twelve  years  since  this  misfortune 
happened,  and  we  had  already  lost  all  hopes  of  ever 
seeing  Badia  again,  when  we  heard  a  voice  in  a 
dream  yesterday,  saying  :  '  Rejoice,  Jirah,  for  you  will 
soon  see  your  sister  again.  To-morrow  two  strangers 
will  arrive  here,  a  man  named  Joodar,  and  a  genius 
named  Misram,  and  by  their  means  your  sister  will 
be  released.  When  you  see  them,  lead  them  to  the 
terrace,  and  if  the  bird  turns  round  three  times,  and 
spreads  his  wings,  accept  it  as  a  confirmation  of  the 
truth  of  my  words  ! '  This  is  the  reason,  my  lord 


The  castle  door  was  open,  and  a  maiden  stood  before  it. 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  l^inis.    2 1 3 

Joodar,  that  I  was  so  overjoyed  at  the  movements  of 
the  bird." 

She  had  scarcely  spoken  when  a  white  bird  flew 
up  to  us,  and  a  genius  sprang  from  its  back,  upon 
the  terrace. 

"  This  is  Shilshanum,"  said  Misram,  "  the  son  of 
Jaljamook,  who  will  warn  you  of  the  snares  that 
his  father  has  spread  for  you  in  Hindinar's  castle." 
He  then  gave  him  a  friendly  greeting,  and  introduced 
me  as  the  possessor  of  the  magic  sword. 

"  Do  you  know,  Misram,"  said  Shilshanum,  "  why 
I  appointed  to  meet  you  here  ?  I  have  often  heard 
this  old  man  lamenting  for  his  lost  daughter  Badia, 
and  wished  to  assure  him  of  her  safe  return,  as  soon 
as  Joodar  shall  have  rid  the  earth  of  the  monster 
Hindmar,  who  holds  her  in  captivity.  But  if  you 
would  avoid  losing  your  lives  in  the  pursuit  of 
Hindmar,  you  must  listen  attentively  to  my  words, 
and  forget  nothing  that  I  tell  you. 

"  You  must  travel  from  this  palace  for  three  days 
through  the  Valley  of  Fire,  and  you  will  then  arrive 
at  a  green  mountain  quite  as  lofty  as  this,  up 
which  leads  a  convenient  footpath.  When  you  have 
reached  the  highest  point,  you  will  see  the  Castle 
of  Pillars,  and  the  Raven's  Lake  before  you.  The 
castle  is  of  vast  size,  and  is  supported  by  four  and 
twenty  pillars.  It  is  quite  smooth,  and  has  neither 


214  New  Arabian  Nights. 

doors  nor  windows,  so  that  it  looks  like  a  great 
rock  from  a  distance.  Close  by  is  a  small  lake, 
near  which  rises  a  tall  slender  pillar,  where  stands 
a  golden  raven,  with  his  beak  to  the  ground, 
and  his  tail  in  the  air.  You,  Joodar,  must  dig  where 
the  raven's  beak  rests,  till  you  find  a  bag  containing 
a  bow  and  three  arrows.  String  the  bow,  and  shoot 
at  the  beak  of  the  raven.  If  you  hit  him,  he  will 
turn  round  three  times,  and  drop  three  golden  keys 
from  his  mouth.  If  you  fail  the  first  time,  you  will 
hear  a  terrible  uproar,  and  genii  of  different  forms 
will  threaten  you,  crying  out,  '  Seize  him,  and  tear 
him  to  pieces  ! '  Do  not  be  afraid,  but  shoot 
another  arrow  at  the  raven.  If  you  miss  the  second 
time,  the  uproar  will  increase  around  you  ;  but  seize 
the  third  arrow  without  fear,  and  you  will  certainly 
strike  the  raven's  beak  at  the  third  shot  Take  the 
keys  which  fall  from  the  raven's  beak,  go  to  the 
right  wing  of  the  castle,  and  call  out :  '  O  Abd 
Assurer,  inhabitant  of  this  castle!'  Some  one  will 
reply :  '  Here  am  I,  my  lord  Joodar ;  all  is  accom 
plished  ! '  Then  you  will  hear  a  great  noise  in 
the  castle,  as  of  people  tumbling  over  one  another. 
When  this  subsides,  a  previously  invisible  door 
will  open,  and  a  black  slave  will  salute  you,  and 
ask  for  one  of  the  leaves  which  serve  as  Misram's 
passports.  Give  him  one,  and  he  will  immediately 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tunis.   215 

spread  his  wings  and  fly  away.  In  the  hall  of  the 
castle  you  will  find  a  door  to  the  left,  which  one  of 
the  three  golden  keys  will  open.  You  will  pass 
through  a  large  room  into  a  passage  paved  with 
forty  marble  slabs,  twenty  white  and  twenty  black. 
If  you  tread  on  a  white  slab,  you  will  melt  like  heated 
lead,  though  you  had  fifty  magic  swords.  You  must 
go  through  this  passage,  taking  care  to  touch  nothing 
but  the  black  slabs,  till  you  reach  a  door  which  you 
must  open  with  the  second  golden  key.  Here  you 
will  find  yourself  in  a  large  hall,  where  more  than 
seventy  genii  resembling  elephants  will  rush  upon 
you,  but  you  have  only  to  draw  the  magic  sword 
from  its  sheath,  and  they  will  immediately  sink  upon 
the  ground.  Go  through  this  hall  into  another,  the 
door  of  which  you  will  open  with  the  third  golden 
key.  Here  you  w  11  see  two  copper  statues,  holding 
European  bows  in  their  hands  ;  and  arrows  which 
crush  the  hardest  rocks  to  powder.  As  soon  as  they 
take  aim  at  you,  touch  their  bows  with  your  sword, 
and  they  will  fall  from  their  hands.  Then  you  will 
come  into  another  hall,  filled  with  a  stifling  atmo 
sphere,  which  will  parch  you  up,  and  you  will  be 
tempted  to  slake  your  thirst  at  the  fountain  which 
plays  in  the  midst  of  the  hall,  but  a  single  drop  of 
that  water  would  kill  you.  Restrain  your  thirst, 
and  go  forward,  till  you  reach  the  open  air.  You 


216  New  Arabian  Nights. 


will  see  a  small  lake  before  you,  with  an  island  in 
the  middle,  where  a  golden  tent  with  cords  of  red 
silk  is  pitched.  On  the  bank  of  the  lake,  stands  a 
statue  on  a  pedestal,  with  a  leaden  ball  in  his  hand. 
Touch  the  ball  with  your  sword,  and  a  pretty  boat 
which  is  moored  at  the  island  will  loosen  itself,  and 
cross  over  to  you.  Leap  in,  and  it  will  take  you 
across  to  the  island,  where  Hind  mar  sits  in  his  tent. 
He  has  been  so  terrified  at  your  approach  for  several 
days  that  you  will  be  able  to  slay  him  with  your 
sword  without  difficulty.  Know  also,  dear  Joodar, 
that  if  I  did  not  fear  my  father,  I  would  gladly 
accompany  you,  till  you  see  Hysa  again,  and  obtain 
news  of  King  Numan's  daughters  for  your  friend 
Mahmood ;  but  Misram  will  accompany  you,  and 
you  may  rely  upon  the  help  of  God." 

Shilshanum  then  took  leave  of  us,  and  Misram 
said :  "My  lord  Joodar,  let  us  go  farther,  with  God's 
blessing."  We  then  said  farewell  to  the  old  man, 
and  promised  soon  to  send  his  daughter  Badia  back 
to  him.  After  three  days  we  reached  the  green 
mountain  which  Shilshanum  had  described  to  us, 
and  on  reaching  the  summit,  we  already  saw  the 
Castle  of  Pillars  and  the  Raven's  Lake  before  us. 
Here  Misram  repeated  to  me  what  Shilshanum  had 
directed  me  to  do,  and  as  I  neglected  nothing, 
everything  fell  out  as  Shilshanum  had  foretold, 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tunis.  217 

until  I  reached  the  tent  on  the  island,  where 
Hindmar  sat  upon  a  golden  throne,  adorned  with 
magnificent  jacinths  and  emeralds ;  and  before  him 
stood  a  table  spread  with  flasks  of  wine  and  glasses. 
He  was  half  intoxicated,  and  had  a  face  like  a 
bull,  and  a  head  with  four  horns ;  he  had  a  neck 
like  an  ass  ;  his  body  was  hairy,  like  that  of  an 
ape,  and  he  had  the  hands  and  feet  of  a  man. 
As  soon  as  he  saw  me,  he  stared  at  my  sword, 
gnashed  his  teeth,  and  uttered  such  a  cry  that  the 
whole  castle  shook.  I  went  up  to  him  and  had 
scarcely  touched  his  neck  with  my  sword,  than  his 
head  flew  from  his  body  ;  a  smoke  rose  into  the  air, 
and  the  dreaded  Hindmar  was  only  a  heap  of 
ashes ;  but  his  soul  went  to  hell,  a  miserable 
abode ! 

When  Misram  saw  this,  he  embraced  me,  and 
kissed  me  between  the  eyes,  saying  :  "  Now  there 
is  rest  again  for  men  and  genii !  Now  go  into  the 
castle ;  you  can  pass  over  dryshod,  for  the  lake 
which  you  crossed  is  dried  up  ;  but  I  will  remain 
here  in  the  tent." 

The  first  room  that  I  entered  was  empty  ;  ex 
cept  for  a  sealed  copper  flask'  which  stood  in  a 
corner.  As  soon  as  I  entered,  I  heard  a  voice, 
saying :  "  O  thou  who  didst  release  the  cat  from 

his  chains,  be  welcome  here  ! " 

20 


218  New  Arabian  Nights. 

"  Who  are  you  ?"  cried  I,  "  for  I  hear  a  voice, 
but  see  nobody." 

"Are  you  not  the  fisherman  Joodar  from  Cairo  ?" 
returned  the  voice,  "and  have  you  forgotten  the 
cat  who  gave  you  the  book  and  the  sword  in  the 
Eagle's  Cleft  ?  I  have  been  languishing  here  for 
five  months  in  this  copper  flask  solely  on  your 
account ;  and  if  you  have  slain  Hindmar,  then 
hasten  to  set  me  at  liberty." 

I  tore  the  seals  from  the  flask,  and  a  thick 
smoke  rose  up  into  the  air,  which  soon  con 
densed,  and  behold,  Shah  Bair  stood  before  me 
as  I  had  seen  him  in  the  Eagle's  Cleft  ;  and 
thanked  me  for  his  deliverance.  I  then  asked  him 
how  he  came  to  be  imprisoned  in  this  castle;  and 
he  replied  : 

"  I  am  the  son  of  Abu  Tawaif,  who  is  also 
called  Iblis,  and  have  a  brother  named  Sham- 
hoorish,  who  lives  near  Tunis.  One  day,  when 
my  brother  was  alone  in  his  house,  he  was 
seized  by  two  genii,  and  led  bound  before  old 
Abul  Ajaib.  My  brother  was  astonished,  and 
asked  what  he  had  done  to  deserve  such  treatment. 
But  Abul  Ajaib  Tnerely  answered  that  he  might 
send  for  his  father  Iblis,  when  he  would  tell  him 
what  all  this  meant.  Shamhoorish  sent  a  messenger 
to  his  father  ;  and  when  he  came  to  Abul  Ajaib, 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tunis.   2 1 9 

and  inquired  what  he  wanted,  the  latter  said  :  '  Know 
that  I  have  been  working  for  many  years  upon  a 
magic  book,  until  I  succeeded  in  subjecting  a 
thousand  genii  to  it.  I  gave  the  book  to  my  pious 
scholar  Mahmood,  but  he  was  betrayed  by  his 
brothers,  and  the  book  now  lies  in  the  castle  of 
Sintbest,  in  the  Eagle's  Cleft,  with  the  sword  which 
five  hundred  genii  obey.  Both  are  entrusted  to 
the  care  of  your  son  Shah  Bair,  who  guards  them 
on  a  pillar  in  the  form  of  a  black  cat.  But  if. 
the  life  and  freedom  of  your  son  Shamhoorish  are 
dear  to  you,  then  command  your  son  Shah  Bair 
to  give  up  the  book  and  the  sword  to  my  scholar 
Mahmood,  who  will  come  with  Joodar  into  the 
Ravine  of  the  Eagle's  Cleft. 

"  My  father  hurried  to  me,  and  as  soon  as 
I  heard  the  object  of  his  journey  I  resolved  to 
release  my  brother  by  carrying  out  the  wishes 
of  Abul  Ajaib.  When  I  had  delivered  up  the 
sword  and  the  book  to  you,  I  flew  to  Abul 
Ajaib,  and  informed  him  of  what  I  had  done.  He 
immediately  released  my  brother,  and  we  travelled 
together  to  my  father.  But  a  few  days  after  my 
flight,  Sintbest  inquired  after  Hysa,  and  when  he 
heard  that  she  had  been  set  at  liberty  by  two  men, 
to  whom  I  had  given  the  sword  and  the  book, 
he  began  to  fret  and  fume,  to  foam  and  curse, 


22O  New  Arabian  Nights. 

and  to  call  on  the  sun  and  moon  and  all  his  gods 
for  aid.  Then  he  assembled  all  his  hosts  of  men 
and  genii,  and  marched  against  us.  We  could  not 
long  contend  with  him,  for  our  handful  of  troops 
was  sc*m  overwhelmed.  My  father  and  brother 
succeeded  in  making  their  escape,  but  I  was  taken 
prisoner,  and  carried  before  Sintbest  loaded  with 
chains.  He  had  already  given  orders  for  my 
execution,  when  my  friends,  among  whom  was 
Hindmar,  implored  him  to  take  pity  on  me.  But 
Sintbest  would  not  pardon  me,  and  commanded 
Hindmar  to  close  me  up  in  a  copper  flask,  and 
throw  me  into  the  sea.  But  Hindmar  begged 
Sintbest  so  long  to  spare  my  life,  that  he  at  last 
permitted  him  to  carry  me  in  the  flask  to  the 
Castle  of  Pillars  ;  but  he  was  obliged  to  swear  that 
he  would  never  release  me.  I  have  already  spent 
five  months  in  the  flask,  but  I  did  not  despair,  for 
I  well  knew  that  you  would  slay  Hindmar  with 
the  magic  sword,  sooner  or  later,  and  would  set 
me  at  liberty.  Now  you  know  all,  my  lord  Joodar, 
and  I  now  ask  you  to  give  me  leave  to  return  to 
my  friends  and  bring  them  news  of  the  success  of 
your  enterprise." 

"Depart,  and  the  blessing  of  God  be  upon  you  !" 
I  exclaimed  ;  and  he  spread  his  wings  and  flew 
away. 


I  saw  a  handsome  young  man  hanging  by  the  feet. 


• 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tunis.   223 

When  he  was  gone,  I  left  the  empty  room, 
and  went  through  a  long  passage  into  a  kitchen, 
where  four  kettles  stood  over  the  fire.  In  one  were 
pomegranate-seeds,  swimming  in  fat ;  in  another, 
pilaw ;  in  the  third,  kulkas  ;  and  in  the  fourth, 
meat.  As  I  was  very  hungry,  I  took  a  golden 
spoon,  which  hung  near,  and  dipped  up  some  meat ; 
but  behold,  it  was  a  human  hand !  I  flung  it  back 
with  horror,  and  thanked  God  that  I  had  tasted 
none  of  the  other  food,  which  was  probably  cooked 
with  human  fat.  When  I  left  the  kitchen,  I  came 
into  another  passage,  and  heard  some  one  in  a 
room  on  my  right  cry  out,  "  O  my  God,  what  a 
heavy  trial !  To  die  alone  in  so  deplorable  a  manner 
in  a  foreign  country  !" 

I  exclaimed :  "  Who  are  you,  and  how  can  I 
find  you  ?" 

The  voice  answered  :  "  Tread  on  the  golden 
scorpion  which  lies  on  the  slab  to  your  right." 

I  did  so,  and  a  door  opened,  and  I  saw  a  hand 
some  young  man  hanging  by  the  feet. 

"Who  hung  you  up  here?"  said  I,  as  I  hastened 
to  unbind  him. 

"  Hindmar's  slaves,"  he  answered  ;  "  I  have  been 
hanging  here  for  a  week,  and  to-morrow  evening 
I  am  to  be  slaughtered  and  devoured  by  Hind- 


mar." 


224  New  Arabian  Nights. 

"  Fear  nothing,"  said  I,  "  for  Hindmar  is  dead  ; 
but  tell  me  who  you  are,  and  how  you  came  here." 

"My  name  is  Taj  El  Mulook,"  answered  the 
young  man,  "and  I  became  king  of  Tauris  three 
months  ago.  I  was  always  a  great  huntsman,  from 
my  youth  up ;  and  I  felt  it  very  hard  to  be 
obliged  to  relinquish  the  pleasures  of  the  chase  for 
some  time  after  my  father's  death.  So  as  soon 
as  the  first  months  of  mourning  were  over,  I  pre 
pared  for  a  great  hunting  excursion  ;  but  we  looked 
about  for  a  long  time  without  finding  anything  to 
hunt.  At  last  we  enclosed  a  beautiful  green  valley, 
and  as  our  circle  became  smaller,  we  found  that 
we  had  enclosed  three  gazelles,  more  beautiful  than 
any  I  had  ever  seen  in  my  life.  We  narrowed  the 
circle  still  more,  but  the  gazelles  dashed  through 
before  any  one  could  take  aim  at  them.  I  was  so 
mortified  that  I  ordered  my  people  to  stay  be 
hind,  and  rode  on  quite  alone  in  pursuit  of  the 
gazelles.  But  two  of  them  were  already  so  far 
away  that  I  soon  lost  sight  of  them.  The  third 
bounded  on  before  me,  so  that  I  had  it  within 
bowshot  a  little  before  sunset.  My  arrow  pierced 
its  heart,  and  it  sank  down ;  but  how  great  was 
my  astonishment  when,  instead  of  a  beautiful  gazelle, 
I  found  nothing  but  a  heap  of  ashes !  I  was 
sorry  now  that  I  had  left  my  people  so  far  behind, 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tunis.  225 

for  the  night  closed  in,  and  I  knew  not  which  way 
to  turn.  I  wandered  about  for  some  time,  until  I  fell 
in  with  a  Bedouin  camp  of  about  a  hundred  tents,  at 
the  foot  of  a  mountain.  I  entered  the  first  tent,  where 
I  saw  a  youth  like  the  moon  in  its  fourteenth  night. 
He  had  an  old  caftan  in  his  hand  which  he  was 
just  mending,  and  he  recited  the  following  verse  :  — 

" f  He  who  has  but  few  goods  the  world  despises  ; 
and  only  he  who  is  wealthy  is  respected.  If  a  dog 
had  much  money,  he  would  be  styled  a  faithful  dog, 
out  of  respect.' 

"  I  looked  round  the  tent,  where  I  saw  nothing 
but  a  white  cock.  As  soon  as  the  youth  per 
ceived  me  he  exclaimed,  '  Peace  be  with  you  !'  'And 
the  peace,  blessing,  and  mercy  of  God  be  upon  you 
also,'  I  replied.  '  You  seem  to  have  lost  you  way,' 
said  he  ;  '  I  am  glad  that  God  has  directed  your  steps 
here ;  be  welcome  as  my  guest.'  He  first  bound  my 
horse  to  one  of  the  tent-poles ;  then  he  carried  the 
cock  into  an  adjoining  tent,  and  presently  returned 
with  a  bottle  of  wine,  a  loaf  of  bread,  a  dish  full  of 
olives,  some  Syrian  apricots,  and  a  bag  of  barley. 
He  gave  the  barley  to  the  horse,  and  placed  the  food 
before  me,  saying,  '  In  the  name  of  God  ! '  We  ate 
and  drank  together  till  we  had  taken  enough,  and 
when  the  wine  got  into  his  head  he  recited  the  follow 
ing  verse : 


226  New  Arabian  Nights. 

" '  Be  not  uneasy  ;  you  shall  not  long  remain  in  a 
strange  place :  to-morrow  I  will  release  you  with  my 
life.  I  only  tore  myself  from  you  to  fulfil  a  sacred 
duty.  God  grant  us  a  happy  reunion.' 

"  I  asked  him  the  meaning  of  this  verse,  and  he 
replied :  '  I  am  the  bravest  and  the  poorest  man  in  the 
whole  desert,  but  I  never  allow  any  stranger  to  pass 
my  tent  without  inviting  him  to  enter.  When  you 
honoured  me  with  your  visit  to-day,  I  possessed 
nothing  at  all  but  a  white  cock  which  I  had  reared 
in  my  tent  ;  and  I  was  obliged  to  part  with  him  in 
order  to  entertain  you.  But  I  heard  him  crowing  all 
the  time,  and  then  I  recited  these  verses.' 

"I  admired  the  man's  generosity,  and  resolved  to 
reward  him  richly.  During  the  whole  evening  I  con 
cealed  my  real  rank,  and  conversed  with  him  upon  the 
chase  and  Bedouin  life,  until  sleep  closed  our  eyes. 

"  On  the  following  morning  the  troops  who  had  ac 
companied  me  on  the  hunting  expedition  arrived,  and 
my  host  wished  to  call  his  people  together,  lest  they 
should  be  surprised  by  an  enemy.  Then  I  said  to 
him  :  f  Remain  quietly  in  your  tent,  for  these  troops 
are  mine.  I  am  the  king  of  Tauris,  and  rejoice  that  I 
am  able  so  soon  to  redeem  your  cock,  and  to  recom 
pense  you  for  the  friendly  reception  which  you  have 
given  me  ! '  In  the  meantime  my  people  approached, 
and  were  delighted  to  find  me  again  ;  and  I  said  to 


Joodar  of  Cairo  >  and  Mahmood  of  Tunis.   227 

them:  'I  have  to  thank  this  man  that  nothing  un 
pleasant  happened  to  me  during  the  night.  Let  him 
who  loves  me,  give  him  a  proof  of  his  gratitude.'  I  had 
scarcely  spoken  when  all  who  had  money  or  articles 
of  clothing  to  spare,  heaped  them  upon  him  ;  and  I 
ordered  my  treasurer  to  pay  him  ten  thousand  dinars, 
and  likewise  presented  him  with  twenty  beautiful 
horses,  and  a  hundred  slaves.  Then  I  called  together 
all  the  Bedouins  in  the  camp,  and  said  to  them: 
'  Know  that  I  am  the  king  of  Tauris,  and  the  man 
with  whom  I  spent  the  night  is  dearer  to  me  than  a 
brother.  I  would  like  to  take  him  with  me  and  give 
him  an  important  post,  but  he  cannot  make  up  his 
mind  to  leave  you.  It  is  therefore  your  duty  to 
recognise  him  as  your  chief,  and  this  I  require  you  to 
do;  but  if  you  should  ever  be  disobedient  to  him  I 
will  slay  you  all,  and  lay  waste  your  dwellings.' 

"  All  the  Bedouins  exclaimed  with  one  voice,  '  We 
obey  God  and  thee  ! '  I  then  said  to  my  host,  '  If  you 
should  require  anything  from  me,  you  have  only 
to  send  a  messenger  who  shall  announce  himself  as 
an  envoy  from  the  master  of  the  white  cock  ;  and  I 
will  give  you  anything  you  ask,  even  were  it  the  half 
of  my  kingdom.' 

"  I  then  took  leave  of  the  Bedouins  and  returned 
to  the  capital  with  my  people.  But  when  we 
reached  the  gate  we  heard  such  a  terrible  uproar 


228  New  Arabian  Nights. 

that  we  thought  the  whole  city  had  fallen  to 
pieces ;  and  when  I  asked  what  was  the  matter,  a 
gigantic  genius  flew  towards  me,  and  exclaimed :  'Now 
will  I  avenge  the  death  of  my  dear  son  ! '  He 
dragged  me  out  of  my  saddle  and  flew  up  into  the  air 
with  me  ;  but  I  know  not  how  long  the  journey  lasted, 
for  I  soon  fainted.  When  I  recovered  my  senses  I 
found  myself  on  an  island  inhabited  by  different 
species  of  genii.  Some  were  tall,  others  short ;  some 
were  so  covered  with  hair  that  no  face  was  visible  ; 
others  were  like  bones  without  flesh  ;  and  among 
them  were  heads  without  bodies,  and  bodies  without 
heads.  They  all  seemed  very  sorrowful,  and  many 
wept  and  lamented  aloud,  and  beat  their  faces.  After 
a  long  silence,  the  genius  who  had  brought  me  to 
the  island,  exclaimed  in  a  voice  of  thunder :  '  Here 
is  the  murderer  of  my  son,  what  shall  we  do  with 
him  ? '  Several  genii  shaped  like  elephants,  cried 
out :  '  Give  him  to  us,  that  we  may  eat  his  flesh  and 
drink  his  blood.'  But  a  genius  who  was  more  like  a 
man,  replied  :  '  None  of  us  have  authority  to  deal 
with  this  man  ;  he  must  be  brought  before  our  king.' 
"  I  passed  the  night  in  a  prison,  guarded  by  two 
frightful  genii,  and  on  the  following  day  I  was  con 
ducted  to  a  large  tent  in  which  the  king  sat  surrounded 
by  his  viziers.  The  king  seemed  to  have  heard  the 
whole  story,  for  as  soon  as  he  saw  me,  he  said  :  '  Are 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tunis.   229 

you  the  man  who  slew  the  son  of  this  genius  ? '  and 
he  pointed  to  the  genius  who  had  brought  me  to  the 
island.  'Pardon,  mighty  king,'  I  replied,  'I  never  saw 
his  son  at  all,  and  I  know  not  whether  he  is  great  or 
small,  black  or  white.'  '  Tell  me,'  said  the  king  to  the 
genius,  '  in  what  manner  this  man  slew  your  son. ' 
'  My  son,'  replied  he,  *  was  amusing  himself  in  the 
form  of  a  gazelle,  and  this  man  pursued  him  for 
the  whole  day,  and  slew  him  with  an  arrow.  Here  is 
the  arrow,'  added  he,  handing  it  to  the  king,  'which 
I  drew  from  my  poor  son's  body.'  The  king  looked 
at  the  arrow,  and  then  handed  it  to  one  of  his  viziers. 
The  vizier  turned  it  about  on  all  sides,  and  said:  'This 
arrow  must  have  been  poisoned  by  a  genius,  or  it 
would  not  have  had  sufficient  force  to  consume  a 
genius  in  the  shape  of  a  gazelle  to  ashes,  consequently 
the  man  is  innocent ;  the  life  of  the  genius  had 
reached  its  appointed  end,  and  the  man  was  only 
an  unknowing  instrument  of  destiny  ! ' 

"When  the  king  heard  this,  he  commanded  the 
father  of  the  deceased  to  carry  me  back  to  my  home ; 
but  instead  of  doing  so,  he  carried  me  to  King  Hindmar, 
and  laid  his  complaint  before  him.  Hindmar  was 
pleased  with  him,  and  said :  '  He  shall  atone  for  his 
crime  !  I  have  eight  men  left,  whom  I  will  eat  first ; 
he  shall  be  fattened  till  the  ninth  day,  and  then  his 

turn  will  come/     Upon  this,  I  was  hung  up  by  the 

21 


230  New  Arabian  Nights. 

feet,  and  have  been  hanging  thus  for  eight  days. 
This  is  all  that  I  have  to  tell  you.  God  be  praised, 
who  sent  you  here  at  the  right  moment." 

As  soon  as  the  young  man  had  finished  his  story, 
I  called  Misram  and  ordered  him  to  carry  him  back 
to  his  home.  I  then  went  through  several  rooms  till 
I  reached  a  large  hall  which  was  surrounded  by  pretty 
little  cabinets  ;  and  I  found  myself  in  King  Hindmar's 
harem.  In  the  middle  of  the  aportment  stood  a 
golden  throne,  on  which  sat  a  lady  as  dazzlingly 
beautiful  as  the  rising  sun.  I  thought  she  must  have 
escaped  from  Paradise,  through  some  remissness  on  the 
part  of  the  angel  Ridwan.  When  the  lady  saw  me, 
she  hastily  covered  her  face,  exclaiming :  "  How  was 
it  possible  for  you  to  penetrate  into  the  harem  of  the 
mighty  King  Hindmar?"  "  Hindmar  is  dead,"  said 
I,  "and  I  am  now  lord  of  this  castle,  and  of  all 
therein."  "  Then  you  are  Joodar  the  fisherman  from 
Cairo,"  she  rejoined  ;  and  immediately  called  her 
friends  from  their  cabinets.  "  Did  I  not  often  tell  you," 
continued  she,  "  that  our  slavery  would  not  last  for 
ever  ?  My  prophecy  is  now  fulfilled  ;  for  the  man 
whom  you  see  here  before  you,  has  slain  our  tyrant 
with  his  magic  sword,  and  will  send  us  all  back  to  our 
homes  and  families.  Know,  my  lord  Joodar,"  added 
she,  turning  to  me,  "  that  all  the  ladies  whom  you  see 
here,  and  many  others  who  are  still  in  their  apart- 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tunis.   23 1 

ments,  were  forcibly  carried  away  by  Hindmar.  A 
famous  prophet  forewarned  my  father  that  I  should 
thus  be  carried  away,  several  years  before  it  happened. 
He  also  foretold  that  I  should  be  released  from  cap 
tivity  by  a  fisherman  from  Cairo,  named  Joodar,  who 
should  possess  the  sword  of  Sintbest." 

I  then  looked  at  the  ladies,  who  were  all  very  beau 
tiful,  and  asked  which  of  them  was  Badia,  who  was 
carried  away  twelve  years  ago  from  her  father  and 
sister.  A  lady  like  a  gazelle  then  came  forward, 
and  said  :  "  I  am  she,  for  whom  you  ask."  I  called 
Misram,  and  ordered  him  to  take  her  back  to  her 
father's  house.  While  Misram  flew  away  with  her,  I 
asked  the  lady  who  sat  on  the  throne,  who  was 
named  Sakirsad,  to  assemble  all  the  ladies  in  the 
castle.  She  then  sent  several  slave-girls  to  call  them, 
and  the  hall  became  fuller  and  fuller,  and  Sakirsad 
counted  them  as  they  came,  up  to  the  number  of 
ninety-eight.  Then  she  said :  "  One  only  remains, 
who  is  so  tightly  bound  that  we  must  set  her  at 
liberty  ;  but  let  us  first  send  these  ninety-eight  back- 
to  their  homes."  I  called  Misram,  who  had  already 
returned  from  his  journey  with  Badia,  and  asked 
him  to  summon  ninety-eight  genii.  They  rose  from 
the  earth  in  a  moment,  and  each  took  a  lady  on  his 
shoulders,  and  flew  up  into  the  air  with  her. 

Sakirsad  then  led  me  to  the  room  where  the  maiden 


2 2  New  Arabian  Nights. 


lay  bound,  and  behold  it  was  Hysa,  my  betrothed, 
whom  I  had  already  once  released  in  the  Eagles' 
Cleft.  I  fainted  with  joy  at  such  an  unexpected 
meeting.  When  I  recovered,  Hysa  stood  unbound 
before  me.  I  embraced  and  kissed  her,  and  asked  her 
to  tell  me  how  she  came  to  this  castle. 

"  Know,  Joodar,"  she  replied,  "  that  not  long  after 
Sanja  carried  me  home,  and  I  had  mounted  the 
throne  of  my  father,  an  army  suddenly  marched 
against  my  capital,  so  numerous 'that  it  was  impos 
sible  for  my  troops  to  oppose  them.  I  sent  my  vizier 
to  ascertain  who  they  were,  and  what  they  wanted. 
He  returned  in  consternation,  saying,  ' It  is  the  army 
of  Sintbest,  and  he  himself  is  at  their  head  ! '  When 
I  heard  this,  I  began  to  tremble  ;  I  turned  pale,  and 
fainted.  Upon  this  a  frightful  genius  rushed  in,  terri 
fying  all  my  guards,  and  carried  me  before  Sintbest, 
with  whom  Hindmar  was  also  present.  Sintbest  was 
going  to  have  me  thrown  into  the  sea ;  but  Hindmar 
said,  '  Give  her  rather  to  me,  and  I  will  torture  her 
in  my  castle  till  she  dies  of  her  sufferings.'  Sintbest 
consented  ;  and  since  then,  I  have  been  languishing 
in  this  room  in  heavy  chains  ;  but  nothing  was  so 
hard  to  me  as  the  separation  from  my  beloved,  for 
you  have  been  lord  of  my  heart  ever  since  I  saw  you 
in  the  Eagles'  Cleft." 

"My   sole   object,"  I  replied,  "in   all   my   under- 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tunis.   233 

takings  has  likewise  been  to  call  you  mine.  Now 
that  God  has  reunited  us,  we  should  be  at  the  goal 
of  our  wishes,  but  that  I  have  sworn  to  Mahmood 
not  to  give  myrelf  up  to  the  enjoyment  of  my  hap 
piness,  until  I  can  bring  him  news  of  the  daughters 
of  King  Numan." 

She  answered  :  "  Let  us  at  least  stay  here  together 
for  a  few  days,  after  which  you  can  fulfil  your  promise 
to  Mahmood,  and  I  will  wait  here  with  Sakirsad,  until 
your  return." 

I  called  Misram,  and  asked  what  he  would  advise 
me  to  do. 

"Stay  here  three  days  in  this  castle,"  said  he, 
"  where  you  will  find  an  abundance  of  all  the  neces 
saries  of  life,  and  where  you  have  no  enemy  to  fear ; 
and  in  the  meantime  allow  me  to  visit  my  two  sons, 
whom  I  have  not  seen  for  so  long  a  time." 

I  gave  Misram  a  passport,  and  spent  three  days  so 
pleasantly  with  Hysa  and  Sakirsad  that  Misram's 
return  on  the  fourth  morning  was  extremely  unwel 
come  to  me.  But  I  thought  of  what  I  owed  to 
Mahmood,  and  took  leave  of  the  two  ladies.  Misram 
led  me  for  ten  days  through  a  desert  country,  until 
we  arrived  at  a  sea-port.  Here  we  took  ship,  and  as 
soon  as  we  had  gone  aboard,  so  favourable  a  breeze 
sprang  up  that  the  captain  embraced  us,  saying,  "  We 
have  been  waiting  for  ten  days  in  vain  in  the  harbour 


234  New  Arabian  Nights. 

for  a  favourable  wind,  and  it  seems  that  you  bring  us 
a  fortunate  journey."  He  immediately  ordered  the 
anchor  to  be  raised,  and  the  sail  to  be  spread,  and 
the  ship  sped  onwards  like  an  arrow,  or  like  light 
ning.  But  the  wind  soon  became  so  strong  that  the 
helmsman  lost  control  of  the  ship,  and  as  he  was 
unable  to  keep  on  a  direct  course,  after  a  few  days 
the  captain  knew  not  where  he  was.  Then  he  ordered 
a  sailor  to  climb  the  mast,  to  see  if  the  ship  was  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  some  inhabited  country.  The 
sailor  climbed  to  the  top  of  the  mainmast,  and  when 
he  slid  down  again  on  deck,  he  said  :  "  I  saw  a  red 
and  a  black  mountain,  near  together." 

When  the  captain  heard  this,  he  uttered  a  loud  cry, 
slapped  his  face,  and  exclaimed  :  "  Woe  to  us,  for  we 
are  inevitably  lost ;  we  can  do  no  more  than  utter 
our  dying  prayers  !  "  Upon  this,  all  the  ship's  com 
pany  flocked  together,  and  Misram  and  I  approached 
him,  and  asked  why  he  was  in  such  fear  of  death. 

"  We  have  no  hope  of  escape,"  replied  the  captain  ; 
"  the  red  mountain  which  the  sailor  saw  is  the  Moun 
tain  of  Apes.  Two  hundred  enchanted  apes  have 
inhabited  it  for  a  long  time,  and  no  man  who  fell 
into  their  hands  has  ever  escaped  them.  But  what 
the  sailor  supposed  was  a  black  mountain,  is  nothing 
but  the  iron  tree  with  iron  leaves  and  fruit,  which 
Bahram  the  Magian  planted  here  by  all  manner  of 


\ 


"  We  have  no  hope  of  escape,"  replied  the  captain. 


235 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tunis.   237 

magic  arts,  in  order  to  destroy  travellers.  There  was 
once  a  continent  here,  in  the  midst  of  which  arose 
a  very  high  mountain,  which  geographers  supposed 
to  have  a  subterranean  communication  with  Mount 
Kaf.  This  country  was  inhabited  by  fire  worshippers, 
who  lived  in  strong  fortresses,  from  whence  they  at 
tacked  and  ill-treated  travellers.  When  Bahrain  was 
travelling  through  the  country,  he  too  was  assailed 
by  the  inhabitants  of  these  fortresses  ;  and  in  order 
to  revenge  himself,  he  climbed  the  high  mountain, 
opened  his  magic  book,  and  summoned  genii  who 
dug  a  canal  from  the  foot  of  the  mountain,  and  let 
in  so  much  water  that  the  whole  country  was  inun 
dated.  He  also  planted  a  great  iron  tree,  with  the 
magnetic  quality  of  attracting  all  ships  which  ap 
proach  within  twenty-four  hours'  sail.  Those  in  the 
ships  have  no  choice  but  to  climb  the  mountain ; 
and  as  soon  as  the  enchanted  apes  see  them,  they 
rush  upon  them  and  devour  them." 

When  the  merchants  who  were  in  the  ship  heard 
this,  they  began  to  weep  and  lament  like  women. 
But  Misram,  who  always  accompanied  me  in  the 
form  of  a  handsome  youth,  began  to  laugh  and  sing 
for  joy,  so  that  the  merchants  thought  he  had  gone 
mad,  and  said  :  "  Do  you  make  fun  of  our  danger, 
and  do  you  imagine  that  you  alone  will  escape  ? " 

"  Have  no  fear,"  answered  Misram,  "  What  the  cap- 


238  New-  Arabian  Nights. 

tain  has  told  you  is  quite  true  ;  but  we  possess  a 
sword  which  will  cleave  the  iron  tree  like  a  sheet  of 
paper,  and  nothing  will  then  prevent  us  from  sailing 
in  any  direction  we  please." 

When  the  people  remem  bered  the  favourable  breeze 
which  sprang  up  when  we  came  aboard,  they  were  a 
little  comforted  ;  but  they  continually  became  more 
uneasy,  the  nearer  the  ship  approached  the  iron  tree. 
At  length,  when  it  touched  the  mountain  close  by, 
Misram  exclaimed  :  "Whoever  leaves  the  ship  will  be 
devoured  by  the  apes.  Joodar  alone  may  go  ashore, 
for  he  is  protected  by  his  magic  sword."  But  he  said 
to  me  :  "Go  fearlessly  up  to  the  tree,  and  say  :  'O  Thou 
who  didst  deliver  Moses  from  the  waters,  made  iron 
soft  for  David,  and  didst  reveal  the  Koran  to  our 
lord  Mohammed,  grant  me  Thy  aid  to  hew  down  this 
iron  tree,  for  Thou  art  omnipotent ! ' '  I  did  as 
Misram  commanded,  and  the  iron  tree  yielded  to  my 
sword  like  a  weak  reed,  and  fell  into  the  sea  with  a 
thundering  crash.  I  then  hastened  back  to  the  ship, 
and  had  scarcely  climbed  on  board  when  the  wind 
blew  from  the  mountain,  and  carried  our  ship  into 
the  open  sea. 

The  captain  danced  about  on  the  deck  for  joy, 
and  kissed  me  several  times,  and  all  who  were  in 
the  ship  thanked  me,  and  apologised  for  their  having 
previously  shown  me  so  little  attention.  We  now 


239 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahinood  of  Tunis.   24 1 

sailed  eastwards  for  three  days,  until  we  arrived  at 
a  green  island,  which  Misram  called  the  Emerald 
Isle.  Here  we  two  landed,  and  instructed  the  captain 
in  what  direction  to  steer  in  order  to  arrive  at  his 
destination.  Misram  led  me  for  three  days  along 
a  green  valley,  through  which  flowed  a  small  river, 
whose  water  was  sweeter  than  honey  and  colder  than 
snow.  Nothing  grew  here  but  odoriferous  trees  and 
shrubs,  and  the  trees  were  covered  with  the  most 
beautiful  and  delicious  fruits.  At  length,  when  we 
arrived  at  a  great  walnut-tree,  near  which  the  river 
emptied  itself  into  the  sea,  Misram  said  :  "  We  have 
now  arrived  at  our  destination,  for  this  is  the  Valley 
of  the  Gazelles,  and  here  is  the  tree  from  which 
Mahmood  beheld  the  daughters  of  King  Numan. 
You  must  now  climb  the  tree,  and  wait  for  the  arrival 
of  the  maidens.  When  you  see  them  coming,  hide 
yourself  carefully  among  the  branches  of  the  tree, 
but  as  soon  as  they  have  laid  aside  their  fish-skins, 
spring  towards  the  skins  with  your  sword.  It  will 
then  be  impossible  for  them  to  return  home  ;  and  you 
can  take  them  to  your  friend  Mahmood,  on  whose 
account  you  have  undertaken  the  whole  journey. 
This  is  the  last  advice  I  have  to  give  you ;  but  God 
is  all-knowing." 

I  had  scarcely  climbed  the  tree  when  three  fishes, 

a  blue,  a  green,  and  a  yellow  one,  swam  up  the  river 

22 


242  New  Arabian  Nig  Jits. 


from  the  sea  till  they  approached  the  nut-tree,  where 
they  threw  off  their  fish- skins,  and  became  trans 
formed  into  three  maidens,  more  beautiful  than  I 
had  ever  seen  in  my  life.  I  kept  myself  hidden,  for 
I  thought  that  more  were  coming,  but  I  heard  one 
say  to  another :  "  We  will  not  stay  here  long  to-day, 
for  our  sisters  have  remained  at  home,  and  I  am 
anxious  to  return  to  them." 

After  this,  I  only  waited  till  they  had  gone  away 
from  the  fish- skins,  when  I  sprang  from  the  tree, 
and  seized  upon  the  skins.  Misram  was  much 
pleased  when  he  saw  this,  and  ordered  three  genii 
to  carry  the  maidens  to  Hysa  and  Sakirsad  in 
Hindmar's  castle,  and  there  to  await  our  return. 

I  thought  that  I  had  now  done  my  duty,  and  had 
reached  the  end  of.  my  labours,  so  I  performed  my 
ablutions  in  the  river,  thanked  God  for  His  aid,  and 
prayed  that  He  would  grant  me  a  safe  and  speedy 
return  to  Egypt.  But  when  I  had  ended  my  prayer, 
two  of  the  genii  whom  Misram  had  sent  with  the 
maidens,  returned  in  consternation  ;  and  when  Mis 
ram  asked  what  had  befallen  them,  one  of  them 
answered,  "Know,  my  master,  that  when  we  came 
with  the  maidens  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  Black 
Mountain,  past  which  the  way  to  Hindmar's  castle 
led  us,  ten  genii  sprang  upon  us  and  stopped  us. 
When  I  told  them  that  I  was  a  messenger  from 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tunis.   243 

Misram  and  the  Egyptian  Joodar,  they  replied : 
'These  are  they  of  whom  we  are  in  search.  One 
of  you  must  remain  here  with  us  and  the  maidens, 
and  the  other  two  must  return  to  Misram  and  Joodar, 
and  bring  them  here.' " 

When  Misram  heard  this,  he  said :  "  Rise  up,  Joodar  ; 
we  must  not  lose  any  time  here,  for  some  important 
news  certainly  awaits  us." 

We  travelled  together  to  the  Black  Mountain,  till 
we  came  to  the  genii  who  had  intercepted  our  mes 
sengers.  Misram  asked  :  "  Who  are  you,  and  what 
do  you  want  of  us  ?  " 

One  of  them  answered  :  "  We  were  sent  by  Shil- 
shanum,  the  son  of  Jaljamook,  to  ask  you  to  wait 
for  him  here,  and  we  detained  one  of  your  mes 
sengers,  with  the  maidens,  to  make  it  more  certain 
that  you  would  pass  this  way." 

He  had  scarcely  spoken,  when  Shilshanum  himself 
appeared  in  the  form  of  a  white  bird,  and  said  to 
us :  "I  have  been  searching  everywhere  for  you  for 
the  last  three  days,  for  my  heart  is  like  a  burning 
coal  at  what  I  have  seen  at  Hindmar's  castle.  Soon 
after  you  set  out  to  destroy  the  iron  tree  of  Bahrain 
the  Magian,  my  father  sent  for  me  to  accompany  him 
to  Hindmar.  But  as  soon  as  he  found  the  bird  on 
the  pillar  overthrown,  and  the  door  of  the  castle  open, 
he  cried  out,  'Woe  to  me;  my  presentiment  is  ful- 


244  New  Arabian  Nights. 

filled ;  for  my  friend  Hindmar  is  dead,  and  all  my 
enchantments  have  prevailed  nothing  against  the 
magic  sword  of  Joodar ;  but  I  will  avenge  myself.' 
He  then  went  into  the  castle,  took  all  the  silver,  gold, 
jewels,  and  costly  stuffs  which  he  found  there,  and 
commanded  some  genii  to  throw  everything  into 
the  sea.  At  last  he  came  into  the  room  where  Hysa 
and  Sakirsad  and  their  slave-girls  were  sitting,  when 
he  uttered  such  a  cry  that  I  thought  the  whole  castle 
had  fallen  upon  us  ;  and  then  he  said  to  me :  *  My 
son,  Joodar  shall  now  perceive  that  no  one  can 
contend  against  me  with  impunity.  Bring  me  a 
golden  cup,  and  a  little  white  sand.'  When  I  gave 
it  him,  he  mixed  the  sand  with  some  liquid  which 
he  had  with  him,  pronounced  some  unintelligible 
words  over  it,  and  then  cried  out  with  a  loud  voice, 
'  Let  half  your  bodies  remain  human,  and  let  the 
other  half  become  stone.'  He  then  sprinkled  them 
with  the  liquid  from  the  cup,  which  began  to  boil 
as  if  it  was  standing  over  the  fire ;  and  behold, 
Hysa,  Sakirsad,  and  the  eight  slave-girls  became  half 
changed  into  stone,  so  that  they  could  not  stir  from 
the  spot.  After  this  my  father  drew  a  book  from  his 
pocket,  and  read  a  little ;  but  he  suddenly  turned 
pale,  and  began  to  shake  and  tremble.  *  What  is  the 
matter,  father?'  said  I.  'Woe  to  me,'  he  answered  ; 
'I  repent  of  what  I  have  just  done,  for  Joodar  will 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tunis.   245 

certainly  outwit  me  at  last,  with  the  aid  of  one  who 
is  very  near  to  me ;  but  I  will  at  least  make  certain 
that  his  betrothed  shall  never  recover  her  former 
shape.'  He  then  wrote  her  name,  and  the  names  of 
the  other  ladies,  on  a  tablet,  locked  it  in  an  emerald 
casket,  and  commanded  the  genius  Shamhoorish  to 
deposit  it  in  a  statue  which  stands  in  the  Valley 
of  Kings  not  far  from  the  castle  of  the  enchanter 
Munkik.  '  I  myself,'  added  he,  '  will  now  go  to 
Munkik,  where  I  shall  certainly  be  safe  from  the 
pursuit  of  Joodar  for  a  considerable  time.'  Here 
upon  he  destroyed  the  whole  castle  of  Hindmar, 
except  the  room  where  the  enchanted  ladies  were ; 
and  he  then  took  leave  of  me.  But  as  soon  as  he 
was  gone,  I  went  to  the  ladies,  whom  I  sincerely 
compassionated,  told  them  who  I  was,  and  comforted 
them  by  promising  to  inform  you  of  all  that  had 
taken  place ;  and  assured  them  that  it  would  not  be 
such  a  very  difficult  matter  after  all  to  release  them 
from  their  enchantment.  I  then  left  them,  and  took 
ten  genii  with  me,  whom  I  commanded  to  stop  any 
one  coining  from  the  Valley  of  the  Gazelles,  for  I 
knew  that  you  were  seeking  the  daughters  of  King 
Numan.  I  myself  wandered  about  in  search  of  you  ; 
and  I  thank  God  that  I  have  found  you,  that  you 
may  come  with  me  to  release  the  unhappy  ladies." 
When  we  heard  Shilshanum's  report,  we  wept 


246  New  Arabian  Nights. 

bitterly,  and  were  so  much  agitated  that  we  should 
have  fainted,  if  we  had  not  taken  some  wine  as  a 
restorative.  We  followed  Shilshanum  in  a  state  of 
stupor  to  the  ruined  castle  of  Hindmar,  and  when 
we  came  to  the  enchanted  ladies,  they  cursed  us,  and 
exclaimed:  "Would  that  Hindmar  were  yet  alive! 
Would  that  we  had  never  seen  you  ! " 

But  Misram  calmed  them,  and  swore  to  them  that 
he  would  never  see  his  beloved  sons  again  until  he 
had  restored  them  to  their  former  shapes,  with  the  aid 
of  God.  He  then  ordered  the  three  genii  to  carry 
the  daughters  of  King  Numan  to  Mahmood  in  Egypt, 
and  then  to  wait  for  him  in  the  castle  with  Hysa. 
When  this  was  arranged,  Shilshanum  took  me  on 
his  back,  and  flew  through  the  air  with  me  from 
morning  till  evening,  and  then  placed  me  on  an 
island,  and  said  :  "  This  is  the  island  of  the  daughter 
of  the  Vizier  Shem,  whom  God  created  with  a  red 
comb  like  a  cock,  tusks  like  an  elephant,  and  wings 
like  the  sails  of  a  great  ship.  He  has  handed  over  this 
island  to  his  daughter,  and  desires  to  end  his  days 
with  his  friend  Munkik  in  the  Valley  of  Kings.  A 
swift  ship  takes  at  least  twenty  years,  if  the  wind 
is  always  favourable,  to  sail  from  here  to  the  Valley 
of  Kings ;  but  genii  can  fly  over  the  distance  in  two 
days,  and  those  to  whom  the  Sacred  Name  of  God 
is  revealed,  in  an  hour.  There  is  also  a  species  of 


247 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tunis.   249 

bird  which  can  fly  from  here  to  the  Valley  of  Kings 
in  one  day.  I  will  now  slaughter  a  camel,  and  sew 
you  up  in  the  skin,  when  one  of  these  birds  will 
presently  come  and  carry  you  to  the  Valley  of  Kings, 
whither  I  will  follow  you.  I  would  willingly  h,ave 
carried  you  there  on  my  back,  but  we  should  be 
obliged  to  pass  over  many  hostile  countries,  where 
I  must  be  unencumbered  in  order  to  repel  any  attack. 
But  I  will  follow  you  as  rapidly  as  possible,  and  you 
will  be  just  as  sare  as  if  you  were  on  my  back." 

He  then  left  me  for  a  time,  and  returned  with 
a  large  camel,  which  he  slaughtered.  He  stripped 
off  the  skin,  sewed  me  up  in  hX  and  withdrew  to 
a  little  distance.  Immediately  a  bird  as  large  as 
an  elephant  took  me  up  in  his  talons,  and  flew  with 
me  from  morning  till  evening.  He  then  laid  me 
down,  and  was  about  to  feast  upon  me,  but  Shil- 
shanum,  who  had  kept  close  behind  me,  frightened 
him  away,  ripped  up  the  skin,  and  said  : 

"  Rise  up,  Joodar ;  we  have  reached  our  des 
tination.  Praise  be  to  God,  who  has  preserved  us 
from  being  attacked  by  any  enemy." 

I  stood  up,  and  looked  round  me,  and  found 
myself  in  one  of  the  most  charming  valleys  in  the 
world.  At  every  step  the  odour  of  musk  arose 
from  the  ground,  and  brooks,  trees,  and  birds  united 
in  praising  the  Omnipotent  Creator. 


250  New  Arabian  Nights. 

"  This  is  the  Valley  of  Kings,"  said  Shilshanum, 
"and  not  far  from  here  stands  the  castle  of  Munkik, 
with  its  four  iron  doors.  In  front  of  one  of  these 
doors  stands  a  statue,  beside  which  lies  a  golden 
scorpion.  Rub  the  right  side  of  the  scorpion,  and 
a  little  door  in  the  statue  will  open,  just  large 
enough  for  you  ft  put  your  hand  in.  Reach  up 
to  the  head  of  the  statue,  where  you  will  find  a 
copper  cage,  in  the  middle  of  which  is  a  golden 
pillar,  on  which  stands  a  sparrow  of  green  emerald  ; 
seize  the  sparrow,  when  it  will  turn  round  three 
times,  after  which  you  must  bind  it  to  the 
pillar  with  a  silken  cord.  But  take  good  heed 
that  the  bird  does  not  touch  you  with  its  beak 
or  claws,  for  the  slightest  scratch  would  be  fatal  to 
you." 

When  I  had  done  everything  that  Shilshanum 
had  directed,  Jaljamook  came  to  me  from  the  castle, 
and  said  :  "  Everything  has  its  appointed  term,  and 
I  am  now  your  friend.  Go  and  release  the  spar 
row,  and  then  I  will  inform  you  of  the  means 
by  which  you  can  restore  your  betrothed  to  her 
former  shape.  But  make  haste,  for  my  life  is 
almost  ended,  and  I  cannot  speak  as  long  as  the 
sparrow  is  bound  fast.  Behold,  I  am  growing 
weaker  every  instant,  my  eyes  are  dim,  my  hand 
stiffens,  and  my  foot  cannot  move  from  the  spot. 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tunis.   25 1 

Hasten,  then,  that  I  may  recover  sufficient  strength 
to  aid  you  to  disenchant  the  ladies,  and  to  return 
home." 

Jaljamook  spoke  these  words  in  so  piteous  a 
tone  that  I  was  moved  with  compassion,  and  for 
getting  all  his  former  hostility,  went  to  release  the 
sparrow.  But  I  found  Shilshanum  standing  before 
the  statue,  binding  the  sparrow  faster  and  faster, 
till  he  nearly  strangled  it.  When  he  saw  me,  he 
uttered  such  a  cry  that  I  fell  down  with  fright, 
and  fire  flew  from  his  nostrils  which  would  have 
consumed  me  if  I  had  not  hastily  risen  and  sprung 
on  one  side. 

He  then  cried  out :  "  But  for  the  old  bond  between 
us,  you  would  now  be  a  dead  man  ;  you  allowed 
yourself  to  be  deluded  by  my  father,  and  would 
have  released  the  sparrow ;  but  had  you  done  so, 
both  you  and  I,  and  the  ladies  in  Hindmar's  castle, 
would  all  have  been  lost.  My  father  would  then 
have  acquired  an  overwhelming  power  over  you, 
and  you  would  never  have  returned  to  your  home. 
Go  back  to  my  father  like  a  man,  and  pay  no  heed 
to  his  lamentations  and  promises,  until  you  have 
compelled  him  to  disenchant  the  ladies." 

I  went  back  to  Jaljamook,  and  found  him 
stretched  on  the  ground  in  the  last  agonies. 

When    he  saw  me,  he   said:  "You  promised    to 


252  New  Arabian  Nights. 

ease  my  sufferings,  and  now  I  feel  much  worse  than 
before/' 

"  I  have  discovered  your  treachery,"  answered  I, 
"  and  you  must  disenchant  the  ladies  before  I  can 
relieve  you." 

When  he  heard  this,  he  laughed  with  anger,  and 
said  :  "  Well,  my  son,  you  are  innocent,  for  another 
has  betrayed  me.  Take  this  seal  ring  from  my 
finger,  and  give  it  to  my  son  Shilshanum.  He  will 
guide  you  to  Shamhoorish,  who  guards  the  sacred 
names  by  which  the  ladies  were  enchanted.  Give 
him  the  ring  as  a  token  that  you  are  my  messenger, 
and  he  will  give  you  a  small  emerald  tablet  written 
over  with  many  talismans,  which  you  must  take  to 
the  ladies.  Then  take  some  white  sand  from  a  box 
which  stands  on  their  right  hand,  and  scatter  it  in 
a  golden  cup  filled  with  water.  My  son  Shilshanum 
must  first  read  over  seven  times  what  is  written  on 
the  tablet,  and  then  he  must  sprinkle  the  ladies  with 
the  water  from  the  cup,  and  say:  *  By  the  influence 
of  these  sacred  names,  and  by  the  power  of  the 
Creator  of  heaven  and  earth,  resume  your  former 
shapes.'  Then  the  spell  will  be  broken,  and  the 
ladies  will  be  able  to  walk  about  on  human  feet, 
and  will  become  still  more  beautiful  than  they  were 
before.  When  this  is  accomplished,  then  deal  with 
me  as  I  deserve." 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tunis.  253 

I  took  the  ring  to  Shilshanum,  and  when  he  saw  it 
he  said  :  "  We  are  now  near  the  end  of  our  troubles  ; 
come  with  me." 

.  He  led  me  to  a  beautiful  garden,  full  of  the  most 
exquisite  fruit.  "  In  this  garden,"  said  Shilshanum, 
"  sits  the  genius  Shamhoorish,  with  a  serpent  in  his 
hand,  the  venom  of  which  could  dissolve  the  hardest 
rocks.  He  holds  it  only  on  your  account,  that  the 
serpent  may  kill  you  if  you  approach  him.  You 
must  therefore  go  up  to  the  genius  from  behind, 
and  show  him  my  father's  ring  before  he  sees  you, 
and  then  he  will  not  allow  the  snake  to  injure 
you." 

I  then  went  into  the  garden,  which  was  filled  with 
the  most  beautiful  streams,  flowers,  fruits,  and  birds 
that  the  tongue  can  speak  of,  or  the  eyes  behold. 
I  stopped  on  the  banks  of  a  stream  to  perform  my 
ablutions,  and  to  pray.  After  I  had  finished  my 
devotions,  I  went  on  till  I  came  to  the  middle  of  the 
garden,  where  I  saw  a  fearfully  tall  genius,  with  a 
large  head,  and  a  neck  like  a  camel,  sitting  before 
a  water-course,  which  was  supplied  by  a  wheel  of 
sandal-wood  with  an  emerald  axle,  worked  by  a 
golden  ox  with  diamond  horns.  I  stole  up  to  the 
genius  on  tiptoe  as  stealthily  as  a  thief,  till  I 
could  throw  my  arms  round  him  from  behind,  and 
held  up  the  ring  before  his  eyes,  saying,  "Jaljamook 

23 


254  New  Arabian  Nights. 

sends  me  to  you  to  disenchant  the  ladies  in  Hind- 
mar's  castle." 

"  Everything  takes  its  appointed  course,"  said 
Shamhoorish ;  "  I  thought  that  the  enchantment 
would  have  endured  until  the  day  of  resurrection, 
but  God  has  willed  it  otherwise.  God  releases 
whom  He  will,  and  I  shall  also  be  enabled  to  return 
to  my  friends,  from  whom  Jaljamook  has  separated 
me  for  the  last  four-and-twenty  years  by  all  -manner 
of  enchantments.  He  is  a  regular  devil,  who  tears 
asunder  the  very  skin  and  bone  of  the  faithful. 
But  he  and  his  malice  must  be  almost  played  out ; 
for  if  he  still  retained  his  old  energy,  he  would 
never  have  given  you  this  ring.  Now  listen  to  me, 
and  do  not  forget  a  word  of  what  I  tell  you, 
or  your  destruction  is  inevitable.  Leave  the  gar 
den  by  the  gate  opposite  to  that  by  which  you 
entered,  and  you  will  see  a  marble  pillar  in  a  green 
meadow,  on  the  top  of  which  stands  a  white  bird. 
Salute  him,  and  say :  '  Shamhoorish  sends  me  to 
you,  and  wishes  you  to  give  me  the  tablet,  which 
he  entrusted  to  you.'  Then  strike  the  pillar  with 
your  sword,  and  if  the  bird  returns  you  any  answer, 
he  will  grant  your  request.  But  do  not  speak  to 
the  bird  unless  he  is  standing  on  one  leg.  If  he 
stands  on  both,  return  to  me  at  once." 

I  went  in  the  direction  which  Shamhoorish  pointed 


yoodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tunis.    257 

out  until  I  came  to  the  pillar,  and  as  the  bird  was 
standing  on  one  leg,  I  saluted  him,  and  asked  for 
the  tablet  The  bird  was  silent  for  a  while,  and  then 
he  spread  his  wings,  opened  his  mouth,  and  said 
in  a  very  melodious  human  voice  : 

"  There  is  no  god  but  God  alone,  who  accomplishes 
everything  in  His  own  good  time.  Last  night  it  was 
prophesied  in  a  dream  that  I  should  return  to  my 
home  upon  the  arrival  of  a  fisherman  from  Egypt. 
Are  you  that  fisherman  ? " 

When  I  answered  his  question  in  the  affirmative 
he  flew  away,  and  presently  returned  with  a  green 
branch,  and  said  : 

"  Here  I  bring  you  from  the  key  tree,  which  grows 
near  Mount  Kaf,  the  key  of  this  pillar  which  contains 
the  emerald  tablet  which  Shamhoorish  entrusted  to 
my  care." 

He  then  appeared  to  me  in  a  human  form,  but  his 
aspect  made  me  shudder.  He  was  only  two  yards 
long  ;  his  tongue  was  half  as.  long  as  his  whole  body, 
and  hung  a  long  way  down  over  his  breast,  but  his 
beard  reached  to  his  very  feet.  He  had  eyes  like 
two  burning  coals,  his  nostrils  were  like  trumpets,  he 
.was  much  broader  than  he  was  long  ;  but  the  ugliest 
part  of  him  was  a  long  tail  like  that  of  a  monkey. 

When  he  approached  me  he  gave  me  the  key- 
shaped  branch  and  said  :  "  There  is  a  marble  lock 


258  New  Arabian  Nights. 

on  the  left  side  of  the  pillar,  open  it  with  the  key, 
put  your  hand  in  and  take  a  green  tablet  out." 
When  I  brought  him  the  tablet,  he  said  :  "  Look 
what  is  written  upon  this  tablet" 

I  looked  and  saw  the  names  of  Hysa,  Sakirsad, 
and  the  other  damsels  who  were  with  them.  But 
another  name  was  written  beneath,  which  was  quite 
strange  to  me,  Limping  Shimhar  ;  and  when  I  asked 
him  what  it  signified,  he  answered  :  "  That  is  my 
name,  for  I  was  enchanted  by  the  accursed  Jal- 
jamook,  like  these  ladies  ;  and  but  for  you  I 
should  have  been  condemned  to  stand  on  the 
pillar  as  guardian  of  the  tablet,  as  long  as  the  ladies 
remained  in  Hindmar's  castle.  I  still  remain  as  it 
were  a  prisoner,  until  you  shall  erase  my  name  from 
the  tablet.  You  may  do  so  without  risk,  for  you 
have  no  further  need  of  me,  as  Shilshanum  can  now 
give  you  all  the  assistance  which  you  require." 

I  wiped  the  name  of  Shimhar  out,  and  behold,  the 
hideous  creature  before  .me  became  changed  again 
into  a  white  bird,  and  flew  away,  thanking  me,  and 
praying  for  my  happiness.  I  then  put  the  tablet  in 
my  pocket  and  carried  it  to  Shilshanum,  who  was 
waiting  for  me  outside  the  garden. 

He  was  overjoyed  when  I  showed  it  him,  and  ex 
claimed  :  "  Now  we  can  return  and  bring  comfort  to 
the  ladies ;  but  as  we  cannot  tell  what  new  snares  my 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Makmood  of  Timis.    259 

father  may  plan  for  us,  we  cannot  live  secure  unless 
we  help  him  to  leave  the  world." 

He  then  carried  me  back  to  the  place  where  we 
had  left  the  sparrow,  and  strangled  it. 

"  Now  go  back  to  the  castle,  and  you  will  see 
something  wonderful,"  he  said. 

I  went  to  the  castle,  and  behold,  Jaljamook  was 
converted  into  a  black  cinder,  which  gradually  dis 
solved  into  a  heap  of  ashes.  When  I  returned  to 
Shilshanum  and  told  him  what  I  had  seen/ he  danced 
with  joy  and  kissed  and  embraced  me.  He  then 
slaughtered  another  camel,  and  stripped  off  the  skin, 
which  he  sewed  around  me,  and  a  bird  then  carried 
me  across  the  country  where  Shilshanum  dreaded  the 
attack  of  some  enemy.  Then  he  took  me  on  his 
own  back  and  flew  with  me  till  we  came  near 
Hindmar's  castle.  As  we  approached  the  harem, 
we  heard  loud  sobbing,  and  then  we  recognised 
Misram's  voice  comforting  the  ladies,  and  assuring 
them  of  our  safe  and  speedy  return. 

I  was  too  impatient  to  wait  longer,  and  rushed 
into  the  room  half  wild  with  joy ;  and  taking  the 
emerald  tablet  from  my  pocket  I  performed  the  cere 
mony  which  Jaljamook  had  directed,  and  behold, 
the  ladies  were  fully  restored,  and  became  still  more 
beautiful  than  before ;  and  threw  themselves  into 
my  arms  one  after  another.  I  was  then  obliged  to  tell 


260  New  Arabian  Nights. 

them  how  I  had  obtained  possession  of  the  tablet ; 
and  after  I  had  informed  them  of  all  the  adventures 
which  had  befallen  me  on  my  journey,  they  kissed 
me  again,  and  thanked  God  that  I  had  succeeded 
in  such  a  difficult  undertaking.  I  then  approached 
Hysa,  who  had  not  taken  her  eyes  from  me  during 
the  whole  narrative,  but  had  not  yet  said  a  single 
loving  word  to  me,  and  asked  her  whether  she  could 
not  find  some  word  to  express  her  love. 

"  I  am  like  the  poet  who  composed  the  following 
verse,"  she  replied: 

" '  I  always  longed  to  see  my  love,  and  to  speak 
loving  words  to  him  ;  but  when  I  came  near  him  my 
tongue  grew  heavy,  and  my  eyes  were  unable  to  lift 
themselves  to  him  for  awe,  and  I  hid  in  my  heart 
what  I  was  unable  to  express.  I  had  whole  volumes 
to  say,  and  now  I  cannot  utter  a  syllable.'  " 

We  spent  the  evening  in  drinking  wine,  and  in 
singing  and  dancing,  and  on  the  following  morning, 
Misrain  said  :  "  We  have  nothing  further  to  do  in 
this  castle,  and  it  would  be  imprudent  to  remain  in 
a  place  where  we  are  exposed  to  the  attacks  of 
magicians  and  evil  genii  at  any  moment  ;  therefore 
let  us  now  set  out  for  Egypt.  I  will  call  eight  genii 
to  carry  the  slave  girls  ;  I  myself  will  carry  Hysa 
and  Sakirsad,  and  Shilshanum  will  take  Joodar  on 
his  back.'1 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tunis.    261 

-  I  was  delighted  to  return  home,  especially  as  I  had 
sworn  to  Mahmood  that  I  would  not  marry  Hysa 
until  then  ;  but  I  asked  Misram  to  permit  me  first  to 
ascend  to  the  terrace  of  the  castle  that  I  might  take 
a  last  view  of  this  wonderful  country.  Misram  him 
self  accompanied  me  up  a  marble  staircase  of  two 
hundred  and  eighty  steps.  When  I  came  to  the  top, 
the  castle  appeared  to  me  like  Mount  Kaf,  and  the 
earth  seemed  as  far  below  as  the  sky  was  above. 
After  a  while  I  looked  around  on  all  sides,  and  saw 
something  in  the  distance  which  shone  with  dazzling 
splendour  like  the  sun  ;  and  I  asked  Misram  what  it 
was. 

"  It  is  a  golden  castle,"  said  he,  "  adorned  with  the 
most  precious  diamonds  ;  the  windows  are  of  the 
finest  crystal,  and  the  doors  are  of  sandal  wood.  It 
is  the  largest  and  most  beautiful  castle  in  the  world, 
and  was  built  by  Sheddad,  the  son  of  Ad,  the 
founder  of  Irem  of  the  many  pillars.  Sheddad  ruled 
over  the  whole  earth,  in  its  entire  length  and  breadth, 
and  he  had  two  sons,  one  named  Sheddad,  and  the 
other  Sheddid.  One  day  Sheddad  called  together 
the  great  men  of  his  empire,  and  said  to  them  :  "  I 
wish  to  found  a  city  paved  with  musk  and  saffron. 
Its  stones  shall  shine  like  the  most  brilliant  jewels, 
and  streams  as  clear  as  silver  shall  flow  through  it. 
Therefore  instruct  my  lieutenants  to  buy  gold  and 


262  New  Arabian  Nights. 

silver  and  jewels  in  all  the  countries  over  which  they 
are  placed,  and  let  them  prepare  everything  three 
years  beforehand/ 

"Sheddad's  orders  were  executed,  and  some 
months  afterwards  his  messengers  returned  with  four 
thousand  five  hundred  laden  camels.  When  all 
the  necessary  silver  and  gold  and  jewels  was  col 
lected  together,  he  set  out  with  his  troops,  and 
travelled  on  for  ten  days  until  he  arrived  in  a  beau 
tiful  valley.  Here  he  dismounted  and  ordered  tents 
to  be  pitched  for  himself  and  his  army,  and  in  one 
hour  they  erected  a  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  tents. 
Sheddad  then  assembled  architects,  carpenters,  gold 
smiths,  sculptors,  painters,  and  other  handicraftsmen 
and  artists,  and  ordered  them  to  build  a  city  with 
four  thousand  pillars.  In  the  centre  of  the  city  he 
ordered  a  castle  to  be  built,  surrounded  by  gardens 
which  should  eclipse  Paradise.  Nothing  but  the 
purest  gold  and  the  choicest  pearls  and  diamonds 
were  used  in  its  construction,  and  the  rarest  flowers 
and  fruits  from  all  parts  of  the  world  were  trans 
ported  to  the  gardens.  Fruit-trees  were  brought 
from  Greece  and  Persia,  violets  from  Bassorah,  roses 
from  Kufa,  basil  from  Mecca,  lilies  and  jasmine  from 
Egypt,  saffron  from  Genoa,  and  aloes  and  sandal- 
wood  from  China.  He  also  laid  out  a  park,  where 
the  finest  gazelles  sported,  and  the  most  brilliantly 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tunis.   263 

coloured  birds  sang.  The  walls  of  the  garden  were 
covered  with  the  finest  fabrics,  on  which  all  kinds 
of  trees  and  birds  were  painted  and  embroidered. 

"  When  everything  was  finished,  Sheddad  richly  re 
warded  the  artists  and  workmen,  and  took  possession 
of  his  castle.  But  the  first  night  on  which  he  slept 
there  he  had  a  frightful  dream,  from  which  he  awoke 
in  a  state  of  the  utmost  consternation,  and  yet  he 
could  not  remember  what  he  had  dreamed.  Early 
next  morning  he  sent  for  Ifrak,  his  interpreter  of 
dreams,  in  whom  he  placed  implicit  confidence,  and 
said  to  him:  '  Dear  Ifrak,  I  had  a  dreadful  dream  last 
night  which  I  cannot  remember  ;  all  I  know  is,  that 
I  awoke  with  my  heart  beating  violently.  Tell  me 
what  this  dream  signifies.' 

'  Ifrak  took  a  tablet  from  his  pocket,  scat 
tered  sand  over  it,  and  wrote  all  kinds  of  strange 
characters  thereon.  Then  he  counted  on  his 
fingers  for  awhile,  and  said:  'Mighty  king,  you 
dreamed  that  you  were  in  a  ship  on  the  raging  sea. 
An  ugly  negro,  with  a  lion's  head,  came  up  to  you, 
took  a  chain  which  hung  from  the  prow  of  the  ship, 
dived  down,  and  dragged  the  ship  after  him  into  the 
abyss.  You  fell  down  and  fainted,  and  when  you 
recovered  your  senses  you  found  yourself  in  a  great 
cavern,  from  which  you  could  find  no  way  of  escape  ; 
and  after  wandering  about  for  some  time  you  came 


264  New  Arabian  Nights. 

to  a  great  fire  blazing  up  brightly,  but  without  giving 
forth  any  smoke.  The  fire  came  up  to  you  and 
consumed  your  left  leg  like  a  piece  of  dfy  wood,  and 
when  it  rose  farther  up  towards  your  heart  you 
awoke.' 

"  *  True,'  said  Sheddad,  '  that  was  my  dream  ;  but 
now  tell  me  what  it  portends.' 

"  Ifrak  took  a  book  from  his  pocket,  and  read  in 
it  for  a  while,  and  then  uttered  a  cry  at  which  the 
whole  castle  shook,  although  it  was  supported  by 
so  many  pillars. 

"  '  What  have  you  seen  ? '  asked  Sheddad,  overcome 
with  terror. 

"'Hold  me  guiltless,'  replied  Ifrak,  'and  I  will 
conceal  nothing  from  you.' 

"  Sheddad  promised  him  his  protection,  and  he 
said  :  *  In  ten  days  death  will  overtake  both  you  and 
all  your  people.' 

"On  the  tenth  day  Sheddad  was  reviewing  his 
tioops,  when  a  violent  storm  arose,  and  a  great 
earthquake  followed,  which  swallowed  up  Sheddad 
and  his  whole  army,  and  they  became  as  yesterday, 
which  never  returns.  His  castle  was  afterwards 
inhabited  by  Dydabooj,  a  very  powerful  but  aggressive 
king  of  the  genii,  who  murdered  his  father  Yajooj, 
the  king  of  the  City  of  Lead.  But  he  did  not  long 
reside  there  in  peace,  for  the  magician  Busirian,  who 


yoodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tunis.   265 

was  a  faithful  friend  of  Yajooj,  and  who  passionately 
loved  his  daughter  Unka,  sealed  him  up  in  a  copper 
flask,  which  he  would  have  thrown  into  the  sea,  but 
Unka  begged  him  to  have  compassion  on  him. 

"  Dydabooj  remained  in  the  flask  for  many  years, 
until  his  cousin  Iblis  went  to  the  Dervish  Jindar,  who 
had  a  strong  castle  on  a  small  island  in  the  ocean, 
and  begged  him  for  aid  against  Busirian. 

"Jindar  read  awhile  in  his  magic  book,  and  then 
said  to  Iblis  :  '  I  can  do  nothing  for  your  cousin, 
although  I  should  be  very  glad  to  restore  him  to 
liberty.  The  only  man  in  the  world  who  can  help 
you  is  Abul  Ajaib,  whom  I  am  expecting  here  in  a 
few  days,  and  to  whom  I  will  explain  the  affair.' 

"  Three  days  afterwards  Abul  Ajaib  arrived  at  the 
castle.  He  had  two  faces — a  man's  face  before  and 
an  elephant's  behind.  When  he  was  in  good  humour 
he  veiled  the  last,  but  when  he  was  angry  he  showed 
only  his  elephant's  face,  the  aspect  of  which  filled 
both  men  and  genii  with  terror  and  dismay.  As  soon 
as  he  heard  what  had  happened  to  Dydabooj,  he  said 
to  Iblis  :  *  Pluck  up  your  courage,  for  Busirian  shall 
atone  for  his  cruelty  to  your  cousin.' 

"  He  then  summoned  a  hideous  winged  genius,  and 
ordered  him  to  take  Busirian  prisoner,  and  to  open 
the  copper  flask  which  stood  in  his  castle. 

"  *  Am  I  to  be  shut  up  in  it  ? '  inquired  the  genius, 

24 


266  New  Arabian  Nights. 

with  a  trembling  voice  ;  '  have  I  deserved  this  from 
you  ?  Have  I  ever  acted  treacherously  towards  you  ? 
How  can  I  approach  the  mighty  Busirian  ? ' 

"  *  Fear  nothing/  answered  Abul  Ajaib,  '  I  will 
follow  you  myself.' 

"  Busirian  had  lost  his  beloved  wife,  and  was  now 
mourning  for  her  on  a  mountain  opposite  Sheddad's 
castle.  He  was  so  much  grieved  for  the  loss  of 
Unka  that  he  had  forgotten  to  take  his  book  of 
magic  with  him,  without  which  he  was  as  powerless 
as  an  ordinary  mortal. 

"Abul  Ajaib  commanded  the  winged  genius  to 
carry  him  to  the  mountain  where  Busirian  was 
mourning  for  his  wife,  and  took  him  prisoner.  He 
then  released  Dydabooj  from  the  flask,  and  gave 
him  the  castle  of  Sheddad,  in  which  Busirian's 
daughters  were  living,  whom  he  married. 

"  This  happened  a  few  months  ago,  and  I  do  not 
know  what  has  since  taken  place." 

Misram  had  scarcely  finished  speaking,  when  a 
genius  in  the  form  of  a  roe  appeared  and  handed 
Shilshanum  a  letter  from  Mahmood,  which  ran  as 
follows : — 

"  In  the  name  of  the  All-merciful  God !  A  respectful 
greeting  and  blessing  to  the  Dervish  Shilshanum  and 
his  friends  Joodar  and  Misram,  who  have  toiled  with 
such  superhuman  energy  for  the  peace  of  the  good, 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tunis.    267 

and  the  happiness  of  the  innocent.  There  is  yet  one 
honourable  enterprise  for  you  to  perform  before  you 
return  to  the  bosom  of  your  families  in  peace.  You 
must  release  my  friend  Busirian  and  his  daughters, 
and  Joodar  must  slay  my  tutor's  namesake,  the  ruth 
less  Abul  Ajaib  and  the  parricide  Dydabooj,  who  are 
living  in  Sheddad's  castle.  You  must  then  restore 
his  magic  book  to  Busirian,  that  he  may  no  longer 
flutter  about  like  a  bird  with  broken  wings.  As  soon 
as  you  receive  this  letter,  fly  to  the  castle  of  Sheddad 
with  Joodar,  Misram,  Hysa,  and  Sakirsad,  and  there 
await  the  return  of  its  treacherous  masters,  who  are  at 
present  on  a  journey.  God  is  almighty  !  " 

When  Shilshanum  had  read  the  letter  he  said  to  the 
messenger  :  "  Go  back  to  Mahmood,  salute  him,  and 
kiss  his  hands  and  feet  from  me,  and  tell  him  we  will 
carry  out  his  wishes,  and  will  afterwards  all  pay  him 
a  visit  together."  Then  he  turned  to  us  and  said  : 
"  You  can  see  from  this  that  what  you  have  heard 
about  the  castle  of  Sheddad  is  quite  true,  and  it 
seems  that  some  friend  or  relative  of  Busirian  has 
applied  to  Mahmood  for  help,  or  that  he  has  read  of 
his  misfortune  in  his  magic  book." 

Shilshanum  then  took  me  on  his  back,  and  Misram 
took  up  the  two  ladies,  and  we  arrived  in  a  moment 
on  the  terrace  of  the  golden  castle  of  Sheddad.  We 
then  descended  into  it,  and  I  found  the  reality  far 


268  New  Arabian  Nights. 

more  beautiful  than  Misram  had  described  it  to  me. 
We  found  the  five  daughters  of  Busirian  in  a  spacious 
saloon  beyond  the  wonderful  gardens,  and  they  were 
much  astonished  at  the  sudden  arrival  of  strangers  ; 
but  while  I  was  telling  them  who  we  were  and  why 
we  had  come,  Shilshanum  unbound  the  unhappy 
Busirian,  who  was  confined  in  one  of  the  lower  rooms 
of  the  castle,  and  the  damsels  fainted  for  joy  when 
they  beheld  their  father  again.  We  spent  three  very 
pleasant  days  in  the  company  of  Busirian  and  his 
daughters.  On  the  fourth  day,  when  we  saw  Abul 
Ajaib  and  Dydabooj  returning,  we  hid  ourselves  in  an 
ante-room,' and  as  soon  as  they  sat  down  on  the  divan 
beside  the  ladies,  I  sprang  forward  with  my  magic 
sword  and  both  their  heads  flew  from  their  bodies  at 
one  blow.  Misram  then  collected  together  all  the 
valuables  in  the  castle,  and  ordered  several  genii  to 
bring  them  here.  He  himself  then  took  Hysa  and 
Sakirsad  in  his  arms,  Shilshanum  took  me  on  his 
back,  we  said  adieu  to  Busirian  and  his  daughters, 
and  after  half  a  day's  journey  we  arrived  here.  I 
then  released  Misram  and  Shilshanum  for  ever  from 
further  attendance  on  me,  and  celebrated  my  marriage 
with  Hysa  on  the  same  day  that  Mahmood,  who  was 
waiting  for  me  at  my  house,  married  the  daughters  of 
King  Numan. 

The  treasures  which  we  took  from  Sheddad's  castle 


Joodar  of  Cairo,  and  Mahmood  of  Tunis.    271 

enable  me  royally  to  entertain  all  the  poor  of  Cairo. 
This  was  my  constant  practice,  mighty  Sultan,  till  my 
neighbours  looked  upon  me  as  a  suspicious  character, 
and  the  chief  of  the  police  brought  me  here.  God  be 
praised  that  we  have  met,  for  I  have  long  waited  for 
an  opportunity  to  make  you  a  present  of  the  powerful 
magic  sword  and  ring,  which  will  doubtless  give  you 
victory  in  all  your  wars  against  the  infidels. 

The  Sultan  Zaher  gratefully  accepted  Joodar's 
presents,  and  afterwards  lived  with  him  in  the  most 
intimate  friendship. 

"  I  myself,"  says  the  poet  Hassan,  of  Andalusia, 
the  author  of  this  book,  "  made  the  acquaintance  of 
Joodar  upon  my  journey  to  Cairo,  and  he  gave  me  an 
account  himself  of  all  the  adventures  of  his  life,  and 
introduced  me  to  the  Sultan  Zaher,  with  whom  he 
was  on  terms  of  brotherly  intimacy.  I  wrote  down 
everything  which  Joodar  related  to  me,  because  it 
was  deserving  of  being  handed  down  to  posterity." 

This  is  all  which  we  know  of  the  life  of  Joodar. 
Praise  to  God  and  to  His  Prophet  Mohammed,  and  to 
his  relations  and  companions. 


STORY   OF   THE    LABOURER   AND 
THE    FLYING   CHAIR. 


'N  former  times  there  lived  at  Bagdad  a  curly- 
pated  avaricious  fellow,  who  worked  hard 
under  an  herb-seller,  and  by  dint  of  pen- 
uriousness  became  possessed  of  fifteen  golden 
dinars.  He  laboured  all  day  upon  half  a  clove 
of  garlic  and  a  dry  crust,  and  then  retired  to  his 
lodging,  lighted  his  lamp,  ate  the  remainder  of  his 
garlic  and  crust,  placed  before  him  his  fifteen  dinars, 
and  amused  himself  with  counting  them  over  and 
over  till  the  middle  of  the  night,  when  he  buried  them 
under  his  mat,  and  laid  himself  down  to  sleep.  This 
was  his  constant  custom. 

One  day  he  said  to  himself,  "  I  will  walk  to  the 
caravanserai  of  Khalil."  It  happened  to  be  Monday. 
He  sat  down  in  the  square,  when  lo,  a  broker  passed 
by,  carrying  a  chair  of  wood,  which  he  offered  for 
sale  at  seventeen  dinars.  The  labourer  offered  four 
teen,  upon  which  the  broker  said,  "  Give  me  earnest, 

273 


The  Labourer  and  the  Flying  Chair.  273 

while  I  consult  the  owner."  He  gave  him  a  dinar, 
and  the  broker  presently  returned  and  said,  "  Give  me 
the  money."  The  labourer  paid  it  down,  and  took 
the  chair  to  his  lodging,  where  he  prepared  his 
supper,  lighted  his  lamp,  and  ate  his  dry  crust  Then 
he  examined  his  chair,  and  sat  down  upon  it,  but 
found  no  amusement  in  it,  compared  to  the  counting 
of  his  beloved  dinars.  After  much  inward  repent 
ance,  he  said  to  himself,  "  Foolish  fellow  that  I  am  ! 
I  had  money  which  cured  my  sorrow  and  grief,  and 
produced  me,  pleasure  and  amusement ;  but,  from  my 
cursed  folly,  I  have  given  it  for  this  wooden  chair, 
which  neither  profits  nor  amuses  me,  but  rather  dis 
gusts  me.  I  will  go  to  the  broker  and  abuse  him,  and 
demand  back  its  value,  saying,  '  Either  tell  me  the 
properties  of  the  chair,  or  give  me  back  my  money  ! ' ' 

Thus  he  remained  fretting  and  complaining  till 
morning,  when  he  arose  and  went  to  the  market, 
where  the  broker  was  standing.  He  began  to  abuse 
him,  and  said,  "  Tell  me  the  properties  of  the  chair, 
and  in  what  consists  its  advantage." 

The  broker  was  much  alarmed,  and  replied,  "  I 
know  not  its  properties,  for  I  am  only  a  broker,  and 
merely  receive  the  proper  commission  of  a  fifth  part  ; 
but  come  with  me  to  the  owner,  and  ask  him  what 
virtue  it  contains,  for  the  profit  was  his." 

The  broker  went  with   the  labourer  to  the  owner 


274  New  Arabian  Nights. 

of  the  chair,  who  was  a  Jewish  magician  ;  and  said 
to  him,  "Tell  us  wherein  is  the  advantage  of  the 
chair,  or  give  back  the  money.'1 

The  Jew  replied,  "  The  property  of  the  chair  is 
this.  Whoever  sits  in  it  must  take  a  green  switch 
in  his  hand,  and  strike  upon  it,  commanding  it  to 
convey  him  wherever  he  chooses,  and  it  will  do  so  in 
an  instant." 

When  the  labourer  heard  this,  he  said,  "  I  have 
been  wishing  for  such  a  curiosity  as  this  all  my  life  ; " 
and  ran  as  fast  as  he  could  to  his  lodging.  When 
night  came,  he  seated  himself  in  his  chair,  struck  it 
with  a  green  switch,  as  directed,  and  said,  "  Convey 
me  to  the  terrace  of  the  Sultan's  palace."  Instantly 
the  chair  ascended  to  the  heavens,  until  he  heard  the 
angels  singing  their  praises  to  God  in  the  Milky  Way. 
Then  it  descended  gradually,  until  it  alighted  on  the 
terrace  of  the  king's  palace. 

The  labourer  descended  from  the  terrace  into  a 
court,  through  a  window  of  which  he  saw  a  light,  and 
finding  the  door  of  the  apartment  open,  he  entered. 
Here  he  beheld  the  king's  daughter  lying  upon  a 
divan,  and  appearing  as  beautiful  as  the  full  moon. 
He  approached,  and  kissed  her  hands,  upon  which 
she  started  up  in  terror,  and  saw  the  labourer,  a  tall 
and  brawny  fellow,  standing  before  her  with  a  drawn 
dagger  in  his  hand. 


The  Labourer  and  the  Flying  Chair.  275 


She  cried  out,  "  Who  are  you  ? "  And  the  labourer 
answered,  "  I  am  Azrael,  the  angel  of  death,  and  am 
come  to  take  your  soul,  and  those  of  your  father  and 
mother,  and  of  all  the  viziers  and  generals." 

When  the  princess  heard  this,  she  shook  with  fear, 
her  hair  stood  on  end,  and  she  exclaimed,  "Alas, 
alas,  for  what  crime  hast  thou  come  so  suddenly  upon 
us?" 

He  replied,  "  It  is  solely  on  thy  account,  for  love  of 
thee ;  but  if  thy  father  will  grant  my  request,  I  will 
spare  thee  and  all  their  lives." 

"  Let  me  know  thy  wishes,"  returned  the  princess, 
"  for  my  father  would  gratify  a  thousand,  rather  than 
die." 

The  labourer  then  cried  out,  "  If  thy  father  will 
marry  me  to  thee,  I  will  spare  all  your  lives  ;  but  if 
not,  I  will  seize  thy  soul,  and  the  souls  of  thy  father 
and  motherland  of  all  the  nobles,  viziers,  and  generals 
in  a  single  day." 

The  princess  promised  compliance,  upon  which  he 
returned  to  his  chair,  struck  it  with  the  switch,  and 
said,  "  Convey  me  to  my  own  house."  It  ascended 
as  before  to  the  sky,  and  the  princess  viewed  his 
departure  with  astonishment,  and  believed  that  he 
was  really  Azrael,  the  angel  of  death.  She  went  to 
her  mother,  and  informed  her  of  what  he  had  said. 
The  queen  related  the  adventure  to  the  Sultan,  who 


276  New  Arabian  Nig  Jits. 

consulted  his  viziers,  and  told  them  of  the  threats 
of  Azrael,  and  of  his  demand  of  the  princess  in 
marriage.  The  viziers  exclaimed,  "  Save  us,  save 
us ;  and  if  you  make  Azrael  your  son-in-law,  the 
sovereigns  of  the  world  will  bow  to  your  authority." 
The  Sultan  then  sent  for  the  Kadi  and  witnesses, 
and  immediately  executed  the  deed  of  marriage  for 
his  daughter  to  Azrael,  the  angel  of  death. 

On  the  following  night  the  labourer  ascended  in 
his  chair,  and  repaired  to  the  princess's  apartment, 
when  she  showed  him  the  marriage  deed,  and  said, 
"  When  shall  we  celebrate  the  nuptials  ?  " 

Azrael  replied,  "  I  will  not  appear  during  the 
preliminary  festivities,  nor  until  the  evening  of  the 
wedding,  which  shall  be  on  Friday,  so  hasten  the 
preparations." 

Having  said  this  he  departed,  and  ascended  in  his 
chair  in  sight  of  the  princess  till  the  height  concealed 
him  from  view.  She  now  informed  her  parents  of 
the  pleasure  of  Azrael  not  to  appear  till  the  wedding 
night,  and  the  Sultan  commanded  the  nuptial  festivi 
ties  to  be  prepared. 

While  the  usual  ceremonies  were  going  on  at  the 
palace,  the  artful  labourer  employed  a  carpenter  to 
fix  a  wooden  canopy  over  his  chair,  in  the  form  of  a 
dome,  which  he  covered  over  with  stripes  of  green 
yellow  and  red  silk,  and  placed  lanterns  all  over  it, 


The  Labourer  and  the  Flying  Chafr.  277 

in  which  he  could  fix  candles.  He  then  put  on  a 
green  vest,  and  a  crown  set  with  pearls  and  dia 
monds,  which  he  had  stolen  from  the  palace  of  the 
Sultan. 

On  the  appointed  evening,  the  labourer  sat  down 
in  his  chair,  arranged  his  candles,  and  took  with  him 
a  quantity  of  sulphur.  Then  he  commanded  the 
chair  to  ascend,  and  to  descend  gradually  into  the 
court  of  the  palace,  where  they  were  celebrating  the 
nuptial  ceremonies.  The  chair  rose  swiftly  to  such  a 
height  that  the  labourer  could  hear  the  angels  prais 
ing  God.  Then  he  lighted  the  candles  in  the  lanterns, 
and  gently  descended.  The  Sultan,  the  viziers,  the 
great  officers  of  state,  and  the  whole  assembly  now 
beheld  Azrael,  the  angel  of  death,  descending  from 
the  sky  in  his  green  vest  ;  and  flashes  of  light, 
caused  by  the  sulphur,  darted  from  the  illuminated 
chair. 

The  Sultan  rose  out  of  respect,  and  the  nobles  and 
viziers  bowed  down,  and  said,  "  May  this  good  fortune 
and  pre-eminence  be  auspicious  to  our  sovereign  !  " 
Azrael  now  alighted  in  the  midst  of  the  assembly, 
when  the  Sultan  and  all  present  prostrated  themselves 
before  him.  He  commanded  them  to  depart,  and 
rising  in  his  machine,  retired  to  the  apartment  of 
the  princess.  He  remained  with  her  in  the  utmost 
bliss,  forgot  the  garden  of  the  herb- seller,  and  his 

25 


278  New  Arabian  Nights. 

mean  lodging,  and  did  not  imagine  that  anything 
might  happen  to  disturb  his  felicity. 

Some  days  after  this,  a  cook-maid,  looking  for 
something  to  light  her  fire  on  the  terrace  of  the 
palace,  found  the  labourer's  chair,  which  she  took 
away  and  converted  into  fuel.  At  length  recollect 
ing  the  machine,  he  wished  to  remove  it  into  the 
palace  for  safety,  but  on  searching  the  terrace,  could 
not  find  it,  upon  which,  in  the  extravagance  of  his 
grief,  he  tore  his  beard,  cursed  his  stars,  and  scattered 
dust  upon  his  head. 

The  princess  observing  his  conduct,  said,  "What 
has  happened  to  my  lord  ?  If  I  have  displeased  him, 
let  him  pardon  me." 

The  labourer  roughly  inquired,  "Who  has  taken 
away  my  chair,  and  everything  belonging  to  it  ?" 

The  princess  replied,  "I  do  not  know;"  and  im 
mediately  inquired  after  it,  when  the  cook  confessed, 
saying,  "  I  broke  it  to  pieces  and  burnt  it,  but 
I  did  not  know  that  it  belonged  to  Azrael,  the 
angel  of  death."  Upon  this,  the  princess  brought  a 
chair  of  gold,  set  with  pearls  and  precious  stones, 
from  her  father,  and  said,  "  Accept  this  in  the  place  of 
yours,  which  is  irrecoverable." 

But  her  husband  was  not  to  be  pacified,  and 
exclaimed  angrily,  "  Do  you  think  that  I  value  an 
earthly  chair  ?  Mine  was  a  heavenly  one."  He 


The  walls  opened,  and  a  monstrous  genius  appeared. 


280 


The  Labourer  and  the  Flying  Chair.  281 

continued  to  storm  ;  the  princess  was  terrified,  and 
the  unfortunate  cook  was  punished. 

The  anger  of  the  labourer,  however,  only  proceeded 
from  fear  of  his  own  safety,  for  he  had  observed  some 
of  the  princess's  attendants  who  knew  him  looking  at 
him  curiously ;  and  he  feared  that  his  real  character 
would  be  discovered.  Indeed,  they  had  already  in 
formed  the  viziers  of  their  suspicions  in  regard  to 
Azrael,  the  angel  of  death.  He  now  saw  no  resource 
but  to  creep  out  of  the  palace  by  stealth  under  cover 
of  the  night,  and  to  return  to  his  former  lodging, 
which  he  reached  in  safety.  He  locked  his  door,  and 
wept  and  lamented  over  his  lost  grandeur,  till  he  was 
near  perishing  with  hunger  and  thirst,  and  the  fear  of 
being  discovered. 

While  he  was  in  this  situation,  suddenly  his  room 
shook,  the  walls  opened,  and  a  monstrous  genius  ap 
peared,  whose  feet  reached  to  the  depth  of  the  earth, 
and  his  head  to  the  clouds.  At  the  sight  of  him  the 
labourer  shook  in  his  clothes,  and  said,  "  Alas,  my 
death  is  inevitable  !  " 

The  genius  exclaimed,  "  Knowest  thou  me  ?  I  will 
destroy  thee  ;  but  choose  what  death  thou  wilt  die." 

The  labourer  said  in  a  faint  voice,  "  My  lord,  who 
art  thou  ? " 

The  genius  replied,  "  I  am  the  servant  of  that  chair 
which  conducted  thee  to  such  glory,  dignity  and 


282  New  Arabian  Nights. 

honour ;  for  all  which  thy  return  was  to  expose  me 
to  the  burning  sun  and  the  wind,  till  they  took  the 
chair  and  burnt  it  in  the  fire." 

When  the  labourer  heard  these  words  he  started 
up ;  but  immediately  knelt  down  and  kissed  the  feet 
of  the  genius,  saying,  "  Forgive  me,  my  lord  ;  pardon 
me,  O  my  master,  and  God  will  also  forgive  thee.  It 
is  true  that  if  thou  shouldst  put  me  to  death,  I  am 
deserving  of  it ;  and  death  would  be  more  pleasing  to 
me  than  disgrace,  after  I  have  called  myself  Azrael, 
the  angel  of  death.  I  dread  the  vengeance  of  the 
Sultan,  and  I  am  enraptured  with  my  wife  ;  but  I  am 
in  the  power  of  God  and  of  thyself." 

When  the  genius  heard  this  speech,  and  beheld  the 
distress  of  the  labourer,  he  was  moved  with  com 
passion,  and  gave  him  a  cap  and  a  ring,  saying,  "  Take 
care  of  these,  and  do  not  lose  them,  or  thy  life  will 
be  taken  away,  in  whatever  country  thou  mayst  be." 

The  labourer  took  them,  and  said,"  My  lord,  what 
are  their  properties  ?  " 

The  genius  replied,  "  When  thou  puttest  the  cap 
upon  thy  head,  thou  wilt  be  invisible  to  all  eyes  ; 
and  as  for  the  ring,  when  distress  shall  attend  thee, 
press  it,  and  I  will  come  to  thee  instantly,  and  execute 
all  thy  commands." 

The  labourer  expressed  his  thanks,  and  kissed  the 
hands  of  the  genius,  who  then  vanished  from  his 


The  Labourer  and  the  Flying  Chair.  283 

sight,  leaving  the  labourer,  whom  he  found  in  such 
distress,  highly  delighted  with  his  good  fortune. 

When  morning  broke,  the  labourer  put  on  his  cap, 
and  walked  through  the  most  frequented  streets,  but 
no  one  saw  him  or  spoke  to  him.  At  this  he  was 
much  pleased,  and  went  on  to  the  Sultan's  palace,  into 
which  he  passed  unseen.  He  passed  through  all 
the  apartments,  till  he  reached  those  of  his  wife 
who  was  sitting  alone,  but  could  not  perceive  him  till 
he  pulled  off  his  cap,  when  she  ran  to  him  in  great 
joy,  kissed  his  hands  and  feet,  and  embraced  him, 
saying,  "  Where  has  my  lord  and  master  been  during 
his  absence  ?  Alas,  my  lord  !  " 

He  replied  in  the  character  of  Azrael,  the  angel 
of  death,  "  I  was  employed  last  night  in  taking  the 
souls  of  a  thousand  men." 

The  princess  said,  "  How  hadst  thou  such  power  ?" 
And  he  answered,  "  I  was  assisted  by  my  children." 
She  then  said,  "  Surely,  my  lord,  you  must  be 
weary  and  hungry  with  such  labour,"  to  which  he 
assented.  Then  she  set  before  him  cordials  of  various 
sorts,  which  he  drank  greedily,  and  she  told  him  the 
names  of  each.  Next  she  offered  him  various 
kinds  of  meats,  of  which  he  ate  till  he  was  satisfied. 
The  princess  then  brought  out  wines,  and  he  drank 
till  his  spirits  were  perfectly  recovered ;  after  which 
they  retired  to  rest. 


284  New  Arabian  Nights. 

The  labourer  remained  for  some  days  happy  with 
his  wife,  when  one  day  when  the  Sultan  was  sitting 
with  his  viziers,  they  conversed  on  various  subjects, 
and  at  length  began  to  discuss  the  marriage  of  the 
princess.  Some  of  the  attendants  of  the  princess, 
who  had  seen  the  labourer  at  the  herb-seller's,  and 
knew  him,  had  informed  the  viziers  of  their  suspicions  ; 
and  the  latter  said  to  the  Sultan,  "  It  has  been  re 
ported  to  us  that  your  Majesty's  son-in-law  is  not 
Azrael,  the  angel  of  death,  but  a  gardener's  labourer, 
which,  if  true,  is  a  disgrace  to  the  dignity  of  monarchs." 
The  Sultan  answered,  "  I  cannot  believe  this  without 
proof;"  upon  which  the  viziers  returned,  "If  you 
desire  proof  of  our  suspicions,  it  is  now  the  season  of 
winter :  require  of  him  some  fresh  apples,  and  if  he 
fulfils  your  request,  we  shall  be  convinced  that  he  is 
Azrael,  and  that  dishonour  will  not  attend  you  among 
sovereigns." 

The  Sultan  then  went  to  his  daughter,  and  said,  "  I 
am  indisposed,  and  the  physicians  have  prescribed 
for  me  some  fresh  apples,  as  the  only  medicine 
that  can  remove  my  disorder ;  and  I  therefore 
request  that  Azrael  will  procure  for  me  four  sorts 
of  apples." 

She  replied,  "Most  willingly,"  and  immediately  in 
formed  her  husband,  who  said,  "  To  hear  is  to  obey ; 
but  I  am  ashamed  of  so  small  a  matter."  Upon  this 


The  Labourer  and  the  Flying  Chair.  285 

the  princess  retired  to  inform  her  father  that  his 
request  should  be  gratified. 

The  labourer  now  pressed  his  ring,  and  the  genius 
appeared,  saying,  "What  dost  thou  want?" 

The  labourer  replied,  "  I  want  nothing  but  some 
fresh  apples." 

The  genius  disappeared  for  an  instant,  and  then 
returned  with  a  large  cloth  full  of  apples  of 
every  sort,  and  of  different  degrees  of  ripeness.  A 
third  part  were  yellow,  a  third  part  red,  and  a  third 
part  white.  The  genius  said  to  the  labourer,  "  Canst 
thou  conceive  how  far  I  have  travelled  for  these 
apples  ?  "  To  which  he  replied,  "  No."  The  genius 
said,  "These  apples  grow  in  the  country  of  the 
genii,  upon  trees  which  are  not  bare  of  fruit  the 
whole  year  round  ;  "  and  having  said  this,  he  dis 
appeared. 

At  this  instant  the  princess  returned  from  visiting 
her  father,  and  beheld  before  her  husband  a  great 
quantity  of  apples,  of  such  beautiful  sorts  as  she  had 
never  before  seen  ;  upon  which  she  said,  "  My  father 
only  requested  a  few,  and  here  is  a  camel's  load ! " 
Then  she  fell  down  and  kissed  her  husband's  hands 
and  feet,  and  sent  for  the  Sultan,  before  whom  she 
strewed  the  apples.  When  he  saw  them  he  was 
astonished,  and  said  to  the  husband,  "  I  have  reigned 
in  my  kingdom  forty  years,  and  apples  have  been 


286  New  Arabian  Nights. 

constantly  brought  me  from  Syria  ;  but  I  have  never 
beheld  such  as  these." 

Then  he  thanked  his  son  and  daughter,  and  taking 
up  as  much  of  the  fruit  as  he  was  able  to  carry,  went 
into  his  hall  of  audience,  and  said  to  the  viziers, 
"  Behold  these  apples !  Have  you  ever  seen  the 
like  during  your  whole  lives  ? " 

The  viziers  were  confounded,  and  said  to  the 
Sultan,  "  If  your  daughter's  husband  was  not  pos 
sessed  of  supernatural  power,  he  could  not  have 
accomplished  this  matter." 

When  the  Sultan  heard  this,  he  was  exceedingly 
rejoiced. 

Not  long  after  this,  the  Sultan  wished  to  amuse 
himself,  and  went  into  the  streets  of  the  capital  in 
the  disguise  of  a  Persian  merchant.  He  walked  to 
the  caravanserai  of  Khalil,  and  sat  down  in  one  of 
the  shops,  when  a  broker  passed  with  a  female  slave, 
crying, 

"  Who  will  buy  the  moon  of  her  age  ?  Who  will 
buy  a  resplendent  sun?  Who  will  purchase  a  treasure 
for  treasure  ? " 

The  merchants  now  gathered  round  the  broker, 
who  uncovered  the  face  of  the  slave,  and  the  place 
became  illuminated  with  the  splendour  of  her  beauty, 
The  Sultan  instantly  fell  in  love  with  her.  When  the 
merchants  began  to  bid  at  two  hundred  dinars,  and 


The  Labourer  and  the  Flying  Chair.  287 

did  not  stop  till  they  had  offered  seven  hundred, 
the  sultan  at  once  bid  a  thousand,  and  ten  dinars 
as  a  commission  to  the  broker,  which  was  accepted. 

The  Sultan  conveyed  the  beautiful  slave  to  the 
palace,  and  found  her  in  every  way  accomplished. 
She  suddenly  took  out  a  purse  of  brocade,  from 
which  she  poured  a  hundred  and  twenty  small  pieces 
of  ivory  and  ebony,  which  she  fitted  together  to  form 
a  lute.  Then  she  fixed  the  strings,  and  taking  some 
thing  very  small  from  her  pocket,  struck  with  it  upon 
the  lute  in  twenty-four  different  modulations.  The 
Sultan  was  astonished,  and  was  so  enraptured  with 
her  skill  and  the  melody  of  her  voice  that  he  gave 
himself  up  entirely  to  her  society. 

It  happened  one  night  that  the  prince  of  the  red 
genii,  who  was  celebrating  the  nuptials  of  his  son, 
and  had  collected  all  the  requisites  for  festivity  on 
the  occasion,  was  soaring  in  the  air,  when  he  heard 
the  sound  of  the  beautiful  slave's  voice,  which 
charmed  him.  He  entered  the  palace,  and  remained 
there  invisible,  until  all  were  asleep,  when  he  took 
up  the  slave  in  his  arms,  flew  with  her  to  his  own 
palace,  and  placed  her  among  the  most  honourable 
guests  assembled  to  celebrate  the  marriage.  Then 
he  gently  awoke  her,  and  entreated  her  to  sing  and 
play,  which  she  did  so  exquisitely  as  to  charm  and 
astonish  all  the  genii. 


288  New  Arabian  Nights. 

Among  the  guests  was  a  monstrous  afreet,  who 
fell  so  deeply  in  love  with  her  that  he  resolved  to 
possess  her,  and  while  the  sultan  of  the  red  genii 
and  the  guests  were  engaged  in  the  bridal  procession, 
he  suddenly  seized  the  slave  in  his  arms,  flew  away, 
and  then  descended  to  his  cave  in  the  Seventh  Earth. 

When  the  Sultan  awoke,  and  missed  the  beautiful 
slave,  he  eagerly  inquired  after  her,  but  no  one  could 
give  him  any  intelligence,  upon  which  he  tore  his 
beard,  rent  his  clothes,  wept  bitterly,  and  remained 
in  his  chamber  without  attending  the  divan. 

When  the  troops  came  to  pay  their  respects,  and 
missed  him,  they  said,  "  He  is  dead,  and  they  have 
concealed  his  death  from  us ; "  upon  which  they 
demanded  their  arrears  of  pay,  and  began  to  be 
riotous  in  the  city. 

The  chief  vizier  now  requested  an  audience,  and 
being  admitted  to  the  presence  of  the  Sultan,  kissed 
the  ground  before  him,  and  said,  "  Your  majesty  is 
given  up  to  grief,  while  the  troops  are  preparing  to 
plunder  the  city.  You  remain  concealed,  and  they 
suppose  you  to  be  dead.  If  this  report  should  reach 
your  enemies,  they  will  march  against  your  capital, 
and  take  it.  Rise  up  then,  compose  your  counten 
ance,  and  show  yourself  to  the  troops,  that  they  may 
be  satisfied." 

Upon  this,  the  Sultan  repaired  to  the  divan,  and 


The  Labourer  and  the  Flying  Chair.  289 

the  generals  and  troops  attended.  They  paid  their 
obeisance,  their  minds  were  appeased  at  the  sight 
of  the  Sultan,  and  they  withdrew  quietly. 

The  vizier  now  addressed  the  Sultan,  saying, "  What    • 
can  be  the  cause  of  your  majesty's  excessive  sorrow  ?" 

The  Sultan  then  informed  the  vizier  how  he  had 
lost  the  beautiful  slave,  and  had  been  unable  to 
obtain  any  intelligence  concerning  her. 

Upon  this  the  vizier  said  to  himself,  "  What  have 
I  to  do  but  to  draw  the  pretended  Azrael  into  this 
misfortune  ?  If  he  cannot  repair  it,  I  shall  easily 
compass  his  ruin."  He  therefore  said  to  the  Sultan  : 
"  Why  should  you  grieve,  my  lord,  when  Azrael 
is  so  near  you  ?  If  he  has  taken  her  life  he  will 
inform  you,  or  else  he  will  doubtless  be  able  to  tell 
you  if  she  is  concealed  anywhere." 

The  Sultan  then  sent  for  his  daughter,  and 
requested  her  to  ask  her  husband  about  the  beautiful 
slave,  which  she  readily  promised,  and  immediately 
went  and  informed  Azrael  of  the  loss.  He  replied, 
"  To  hear  is  to  obey ;  "  and  the  princess  returned 
to  her  father. 

During  her  absence,  he  pressed  the  ring,  and  the 
genius  appeared,  and  said,  "  What  are  your  com 
mands  ? "  He  informed  him  of  the  loss  of  the 
slave,  and  his  wish  to  recover  her,  when  the  genius 
promised  to  find  her,  and  vanished. 

26 


2QO  New  Arabian  Nights. 

The  genius  immediately  consulted  his  wife,  who 
informed  him  that  the  king  of  the  red  genii  had 
carried  her  away  during  the  celebration  of  his  son's 
nuptials.  He  then  repaired  to  the  Red  King  ;  but 
he  assured  him  that  he  had  lost  her,  and  could  not 
find  her.  At  length  the  genius  of  the  chair  dis 
covered  that  the  afreet  had  carried  her  away  to 
the  Seventh  Earth.  When  the  Red  King  heard  of 
it,  he  attended  him  with  his  followers  to  the  afreet's 
cave,  where  they  found  the  slave  bound  with  four 
chains. 

The  genius  of  the  chair  instantly  unbound  her, 
took  her  on  his  back,  and  mounted  into  the  air, 
where  he  encountered  and  slew  the  afreet  after  an 
obstinate  contest.  He  then  carried  her  to  the 
labourer,  who  thanked  him  for  his  kindness,  and 
took  her  to  the  princess. 

When  the  princess  saw  the  slave,  she  was  over 
joyed,  and  communicated  the  glad  tidings  to  her 
father,  who  hastened  to  Azrael,  kissed  his  feet,  and 
blessed  him  for  his  assistance.  He  then  retired  to 
his  own  apartments  with  his  beloved  mistress,  where 
he  secluded  himself  for  some  time  without  admitting 
any  one  to  his  presence. 

When  the  Sultan's  neglect  of  public  business 
became  known  abroad,  a  hostile  prince  suddenly 
invaded  the  country,  and  met  with  no  opposition 


292 


The  Laboiirer  and  the  Flying  Chair.  293 

until  he  encamped  under  the  walls  of  the  capital, 
in  which  disorder  and  confusion  arose. 

The  vizier  now  informed  the  Sultan  of  the  critical 
position  of  his  affairs,  and  when  he  asked  his  advice, 
replied,  "  Be  not  alarmed,  O  king,  for  is  not  Azrael, 
the  angel  of  death,  your  son-in-law  ?  He  need  only 
take  the  life  of  the  invading  prince,  and  his  army 
will  instantly  disperse." 

The  Sultan  replied,  "  You  have  spoken  truly,"  and 
immediately  went  to  his  daughter,  to  whom  he  said, 
"  If  your  husband  will  free  me  from  this  enemy,  I 
will  resign  the  crown  to  him,  and  become  his  sub 
ject." 

The  princess  informed  her  husband,  who  said,  "  To 
hear  is  to  obey.  Let  the  Sultan  set  his  mind  at  ease, 
and,  God  willing,  he  shall  see  what  will  happen." 

The  labourer  waited  till  evening,  when  he  put 
on  his  cap,  pressed  his  ring,  and  when  the  genius 
appeared,  demanding  his  pleasure,  he  asked  for 
armour  and  weapons.  The  genius  vanished  for  a 
moment,  and  then  returned  with  armour  as  strong  as 
rock,  and  weapons  to  match.  Azrael  put  them  on ; 
and  attended  by  the  genius,  who  was  also  invisible, 
proceeded  to  the  invader's  camp  about  midnight, 
where  they  dealt  their  blows  so  powerfully  on  all 
sides,  that  the  sleeping  awakened  in  consternation, 
and  those  who  were  awake  stood  up  in  alarm,  but 


294  New  Arabian  Nights. 

could  not  see  from  whence  the  attack  came.  At 
length  the  army  fled  in  confusion  ;  brother  forgot 
brother,  and  the  son  forgot  his  father ;  all  were 
anxious  only  for  their  own  safety,  and  slew  one 
another.  Nothing  was  seen  but  flying  heads,  falling 
horses,  and  expiring  bodies.  Those  who  preferred 
safety,  fled,  and  those  who  stood  their  ground,  were 
slain. 

The  labourer,  attended  by  the  genius,  then  entered 
the  tent  of  the  invading  prince,  whom  he  found 
with  his  slaves  in  the  utmost  alarm  at  the  surprise 
of  the  camp.  As  he  was  invisible,  he  seized  the 
prince  in  his  arms,  and  threw  him  into  a  great  chest 
which  stood  in  the  tent,  and  locked  him  up,  while 
the  genius  disarmed  the  slaves.  Next  he  examined 
the  tents,  and  found  them  full  of  jewels  and  valuable 
effects,  which  he-  loaded  upon  camels  and  porters 
belonging  to  the  prince.  Lastly,  he  collected  all 
the  horses,  tents,  and  camp  equipages,  in  which  the 
genius  assisted  him. 

When  the  morning  dawned,  lo,  the  plain  was 
cleared  from  the  enemy,  and  the  Sultan  ventured 
from  the  city  to  look  for  his  son-in-law,  whom  he 
soon  perceived  advancing  with  his  spoils ;  horses, 
mules,  camels,  and  porters  all  heavily  laden,  and 
obedient  to  his  orders.  The  Sultan  was  surprised 
to  see  only  Azrael  among  such  a  convoy,  for  the 


The  Labourer  and. the  Flying  Chair.   295 

genius  was  invisible.  He  exulted  beyond  measure, 
and  with  his  viziers,  nobles,  and  generals,  bowed 
down  and  kissed  the  ground  before  his  son-in-law, 
conducted  him  respectfully  into  the  city,  as  if  he 
had  been  one  of  his  slaves,  and  seated  him  upon  the 
throne  of  his  kingdom. 

Azrael  now  ordered  the  captive  prince  to  be  taken 
from  the  chest,  in  which  he  was  nearly  stifled.  Being 
rubbed  with  vinegar  and  perfumes,  he  recovered, 
but  only  to  find  himself  in  the  hands  of  his  enemies. 
The  Sultan  commanded  him  to  be  confined  in  one  of 
the  towers  of  the  palace,  and  ordered  rejoicings  to  be 
made  throughout  his  dominions.  He  then  gave 
himself  up  entirely  to  the  company  of  his  fair  slave, 
and  resigned  his  kingdom  to  his  son-in-law,  until 
death,  the  destroyer  of  all,  divided  them. 


1 

- 


THE      STORY     OF     MAZIN      OF 
KHORASSAN. 


"N  ancient  times  there  resided  in  the  city 
of  Khorassan  a  youth  named  Mazin,  who 
was  brought  up  by  his  mother,  a  poor 
widow,  to  the  humble  occupation  of  a  dyer. 
He  was  so  handsome  and  accomplished  that 
crowds  flocked  to  his  shop  daily  to  enjoy  the 
pleasure  of  his  conversation  ;  but  he  was  a  steady, 
virtuous  youth,  unspoiled  by  flattery,  and  he  con 
tinued  his  laborious  occupation  with  unceasing 
industry,  and  supported  himself  and  his  mother 
with  the  fruits  of  his  labours.  His  taste  was  so 
correct  in  the  choice  of  colours  that  veils,  turbans, 
and  vests  of  Mazin's  dyeing  were  sought  after  by 
all  the  young  and  gay  of  Khorassan,  and  many  of 
his  female  customers  shot  a  wistful  glance  at  him 
from  behind  their  veils  as  they  gave  him  their 
orders.  But  it  was  not  his  fate  always  to  remain 


The  Story  of  Mazin  of  Khorassan.     297 

a  dyer,  for  he  was  destined  for  higher  fortunes  and 
surprising  adventures. 

One  day  Mazin  was  busy  at  his  work  as  usual, 
when  a  foreigner  came  into  his  shop,  and  after 
looking  at  him  earnestly  for  a  short  time,  ex 
claimed, — 

"  Alas,  that  such  a  noble  youth  should  be  forced 
to  labour  at  so  mean  an  employment ! " 

"  I  thank  you,  father,  for  your  compassion,"  re 
plied  Mazin, '"but  honest  industry  can  never  be 
disgraceful." 

"  True,"  said  the  old  man  ;  "  but  if  God  should 
offer  us  affluence  and  distinction,  should  we  refuse 
prosperity  ?" 

"  By  no  means,"  returned  Mazin ;  and  presently 
he  added,  "  If  you  can  show  me  how  I  may  become 
prosperous  without  forfeiting  my  integrity,  I  am 
not  so  fond  of  my  trade  that  I  would  not  prefer 
to  live  at  ease  in  an  honest  manner  without  it ; 
for  I  would  like  to  enjoy  leisure  to  pursue  my 
studies,  which  have  already  brought  me  some  little 
celebrity." 

"Son,"  said  the  stranger,  "your  wishes  shall  be 
fulfilled.  You  have  no  father,  but  I  will  adopt 
you  as  my  son,  and  teach  you  the  art  of  trans 
muting  common  metals  into  gold.  Farewell  till 
to-morrow,  when  I  will  meet  you  at  your  shop 


298  New  Arabian  Nights. 

early  in  the  morning,"  and  having  said  this,  the 
old  man  took  his  leave. 

Mazin's  curiosity  and  ambition  were  roused.  He 
closed  his  shop  earlier  than  usual  and  hastened  to 
his  mother  to  inform  her  of  the  attractive  offers  of 
the  old  man.  She  reflected  awhile  on  the  story, 
and  then  said,  "  My  son,  I  fear  lest  some  evil 
lurks  under  this  kindness,  for  we  live  in  evil  days 
when  men  promise  more  than  they  intend  to  per 
form  in  order  to  gain  some  wicked  object.  Be 
cautious,  and  do  not  accept  his  offers  until  he  has 
given  proof  of  his  sincerity.  We  have  all  we 
need  at  present,  and  what  more  would  riches  give 
us  ?" 

Mazin  saw  the  propriety  of  his  mother's  advice, 
and  promised  to  be  wary.  They  ate  their  supper 
cheerfully,  and  retired  to  rest ;  but  the  young  man 
could  sleep  but  little,  and  waited  with  impatience 
for  the  morning,  when  he  was  to  learn  the  art  of 
transmuting  metals  into  gold. 

When  morning  came,  Mazin  hastened  impatiently 
to  the  shop,  and  the  old  man  arrived  shortly 
afterwards,  bearing  a  crucible  in  his  hands. 

"  Welcome,  son  ! "  and  "  Welcome,  father  ! "  was 
their  mutual  salutation,  after  which  the  old  man 
told  Mazin  to  kindle  a  fire  ;  and  then  asked  him 
if  he  had  any  old  metal,  iron,  brass,  copper,  etc. 


The  Story  of  Mazin  of  Khorassan.     299 

Mazin  produced  some  pieces  of  an  old  copper  pot, 
which  were  put  into  the  crucible.  As  soon  as 
they  were  melted,  the  old  man,  whose  name  was 
Bahram,  took  from  his  turban  a  paper  containing 
a  yellowish  powder,  which  he  threw  into  the 
crucible,  over  which  he  repeated  some  cabalistic 
words  as  he  stirred  the  melting  metal.  At  length 
he  took  it  from  the  fire,  when  Mazin  was  astonished 
to  see  a  large  lump  of  pure  gold.  Bahram  told 
him  to  take  it  to  a  goldsmith,  who  paid  him  a 
large  sum  for  it,  with  which  he  returned  to  his 
adopted  father. 

"  Well  my  son,"  said  Bahram,  "  are  you  now 
convinced  of  my  skill,  and  of  my  sincerity  in 
offering  to  promote  your  fortunes  ?" 

"I  am,"  said  Mazin,  "and  am  ready  to  go  with 
you  anywhere,  in  order  to  learn  this  invaluable 
secret." 

"  Good,"  returned  the  old  man,  "  I  will  sup  with 
you  this  evening,  and  when  we  are  quite  alone  I 
will  give  you  all  necessary  instructions." 

Mazin  was  overjoyed,  and  immediately  closed  his 
shop,  and  took  the  stranger  to  his  own  house, 
where  he  seated  him  in  the  best  apartment.  He 
then  asked  his  mother  to  go  to  spend  the  night 
at  a  neighbour's,  and  showed  her  the  money  which 
he  had  obtained  for  the  broken  copper,  as  a  proof 


300  New  Arabian  Nights. 

of  the  sincerity  of  his  new  friend.  His  mother 
was  satisfied,  and  taking  leave  of  her  son,  went 
cheerfully  to  a  friend's  house.  Mazin  then  went 
out,  and  returned  with  all  kinds  of  refreshment, 
nor  was  wine  forgotten,  though  forbidden  to  the 
faithful.  They  ate  and  drank  heartily,  and  at 
length  Mazin,  who  had  not  been  used  to  drink 
wine,  became  intoxicated.  As  soon  as  the  wily 
magician  perceived  this,  he  threw  a  powerful  drug 
into  the  goblet  of  Mazin,  who  no  sooner  drank, 
it  ofT  than  he  fell  back  insensible  on  his  cushion 
The  magician  pushed  him  into  a  large  chest  which 
he  locked ;  after  which  he  filled  another  chest 
with  everything  in  the  house  which  was  worth 
having,  including  the  gold.  He  then  fetched  in 
porters,  and  made  them  take  up  the  chests,  and 
follow  him  to  the  harbour,  where  a  vessel  waited 
his  orders,  in  which  he  embarked  with  the  unfor 
tunate  Mazin  and  his  plunder.  The  anchor  was 
weighed,  and  the  wind  being  fair,  the  ship  was 
soon  out  of  sight  of  land. 

When  Mazin's  mother  returned  to  her  house 
early  in  the  morning,  she  found  the  door  open, 
her  son  missing,  and  the  rooms  ransacked  of  all 
her  valuables.  She  gave  a  loud  shriek,  tore  her 
hair,  beat  her  bosom,  and  threw  herself  on  the 
ground,  crying  out  for  her  son,  whom  she  supposed 


The  Story  of  Mazin  of  Khorassan.     301 

to  have  been  murdered  by  the  treacherous  magician, 
against  whose  professions  she  had  warned  him  to 
be  cautious,  until  the  sight  of  gold  had  allayed 
both  her  own  suspicions  and  those  of  her  son. 
Some  neighbours  hearing  her  cries  rushed  in,  lifted 
her  from  the  ground,  and  inquired  the  cause  of 
her  grief.  When  they  had  heard  the  story,  they 
tried  to  comfort  her  by  every  means  in  their  power ; 
but  they  were  unable  to  soothe  her  grief.  She 
commanded  a  tombstone  to  be  erected  in  the 
courtyard,  where  she  sat  night  and  day  be  vailing 
her  son,  and  scarcely  taking  sufficient  food  to 
preserve  her  miserable  existence. 

The  infidel  Bahram,  who  was  a  wicked  magician, 
and  a  worshipper  of  fire,  hated  the  true  believers, 
one  of  whom  he  inveigled  into  his  power  every 
year  by  promising  to  teach  him  the  art  of  trans 
muting  metals  into  gold.  He  first  made  him 
subservient  to  his  purposes  in  procuring  the  in 
gredients  necessary  for  his  art,  and  then  treacher 
ously  put  him  to  death,  lest  the  secret  should  be 
divulged.  This  was  now  his  intention  towards  the 
unfortunate  Mazin. 

On  the  evening  of  the  second  day  after  the 
sailing  of  the  vessel,  Bahram  thought  proper  to 
awaken  his  victim  to  a  sense  of  his  misery.  He 
opened  the  chest,  which  had  been  placed  in  his 

27 


302  New  Arabian  Nights. 

cabin,  and  poured  a  certain  liquid  down  the  throat 
of  Mazin,  who  instantly  sneezed  several  times  and 
then  opened  his  eyes,  and  stared  wildly  around 
him.  At  length  seeing  the  magician,  observing 
the  sea,  and  feeling  the  motion  of  the  ship,  he 
became  aware  of  the  misfortune  which  had  befallen 
him,  and  he  perceived  that  he  had  fallen  into  the 
snares  of  the  treacherous  Bahrain,  against  whom 
his  mother  had  warned  him  in  vain.  Still,  being 
a  devout  Muslim,  he  would  not  complain  against 
the  decrees  of  Providence,  but  repeated  the  follow 
ing  prayer :  "  There  is  no  support  nor  refuge  but 
from  Almighty  God,  from  whom  we  proceed,  and 
unto  whom  we  must  return.  Deal  gently  with 
me,  O  my  God,  in  the  dictates  of  Thy  omnipotence, 
and  make  me  resigned  under  Thy  chastening,  O 
Lord  of  all  being." 

Having  finished  his  prayer,  Mazin  turned  humbly 
towards  his  accursed  betrayer,  and  said  in  a  supplica 
ting  tone  :  "  What  have  you  done,  my  father  ?  Did 
you  not  promise  me  pleasure  and  enjoyment  ?  " 

Upon  this,  the  magician  struck  him,  and  exclaimed 
with  a  scowling  and  malignant  sneer :  "  O  dog,  and 
son  of  a  dog,  my  pleasure  is  in  your  destruction.  I 
have  already  sacrificed  nine-and-thirty  wretches  like 
yourself,  and  you  shall  be  the  fortieth  victim  unless 
you  will  abjure  your  faith,  and  become,  like  me,  a 


The  Story  of  Mazin  of  Khorassan.    303 

worshipper  of  the  sacred  fire,  in  which  case  I  will 
adopt  you  as  my  son,  and  teach  you  the  art  of 
making  gold." 

"  Accursed  be  thou,  thy  religion,  and  thy  art ! " 
exclaimed  the  enraged  Mazin.  "  God  forbid  that 
for  the  pleasures  of  this  world  I  should  apostatise 
from  our  holy  prophet,  and  give  up  the  glorious 
rewards  reserved  in  certain  store  for  his  faithful 
disciples !  You  may  indeed  destroy  my  body  but 
my  soul  despises  your  threats." 

"  Vile  dog,"  roared  the  furious  sorcerer,  "  I  will 
try  your  constancy."  He  then  called  his  slaves,  who 
held  Mazin  to  the  floor  of  the  cabin  while  their 
master  beat  him  with  a  knotted  whip  till  he  was 
covered  with  blood  ;  but  the  resolute  youth,  instead 
of  complaining,  only  uttered  prayers  to  heaven  for 
Divine  support  under  his  sufferings,  and  for  sufficient 
fortitude  to  acquire  the  glory  of  martyrdom.  At 
length  the  magician,  wearied  with  his  cruel  exercise, 
desisted  ;  and  making  his  slaves  load  his  unfortunate 
victim  with  heavy  fetters,  chained  him  down  in  a 
dark  closet,  with  only  a  coarse  mat  to  lie  upon,  and 
with  just  sufficient  dirty  water  and  coarse  bread  to 
keep  him  alive.  But  Mazin's  courage  was  invincible. 
He  washed  his  wounds,  and  comforted  himself  with 
the  hope  that  if  he  died,  he  should  enjoy  the  bliss 
of  Paradise;  or  that  if  God  had  decreed  his  con- 


304  New  Arabian  Nights. 

tinuance  in  life,  that  He  would  provide  some  way 
of  relief  for  his  present  and  future  afflictions.  In 
this  assurance  he  took  a  little  of  his  wretched  food 
and  then  fell  asleep,  notwithstanding  the  agony  of 
his  wounds  ;  but  only  to  awaken  to  fresh  misery.  In 
the  morning  he  was  again  persecuted  by  his  cruel 
tormentor,  who  harassed  him  daily  for  three  months, 
with  blows,  revilings,  and  every  sort  of  insult  that 
malice  could  invent,  or  cruelty  devise. 

Hitherto  the  wind  had  been  fair,  and  the  vessel 
had  nearly  reached  the  desired  haven,  when  it 
changed  suddenly,  and  a  terrific  storm  arose.  The 
waves  threatened  to  swallow  up  the  vessel,  or  dash 
it  to  pieces,  and  all  on  board  gave  themselves  up  for 
lost.  At  this  crisis,  the  sailors  who  believed  that 
the  tempest  was  sent  by  heaven  as  a  judgment  for 
their  suffering  the  unfortunate  Mazin  to  be  so  cruelly 
tormented,  went  in  a  body  to  the  accursed  Bahram, 
and  accused  him  of  having  brought  down  the  wrath 
of  God  upon  the  vessel  by  his  persecution  of  the 
young  Muslim  ;  and  they  threatened  to  cast  him 
overboard  if  he  did  not  instantly  release  the  youth 
from  his  confinement.  They  then  seized  upon  the 
slaves  who  had  been  the  instruments  of  the  ma 
gician's  cruelty,  and  flung  them  into  the  sea,  which 
so  terrified  the  treacherous  Bahram  that  he  im 
mediately  released  Mazin  from  his  chains,  and  fell  at 


The  Story  of  Mazin  of  Khorassan.    305 

his  feet,  entreating  him  to  pardon  him  for  his  harsh 
treatment,  and  promising  if  they  escaped  the  storm 
to  take  him  back  to  his  own  country,  and  to  teach 
him  the  art  of  making  gold.  Wonderful  to  relate, 
no  sooner  was  Mazin  freed  from  his  fetters  than  the 
violence  of  the  tempest  decreased,  the  wind  gradually 
subsided,  the  waves  fell,  and  the  sea  no  longer 
threatened  to  overwhelm  them.  In  a  few  hours  all 
was  calm  and  security,  and  a  prosperous  gale  enabled 
the  shattered  vessel  to  resume  her  course. 

The  sailors,  who  now  regarded  Mazin  as  a  special 
favourite  of  heaven,  treated  him  with  the  greatest 
respect  and  attention  ;  and  the  hypocritical  magician, 
pretending  sorrow  for  his  late  cruelty,  sought  to 
procure  his  forgiveness  and  good  opinion  by  every 
art  of  flattery,  and  affected  contrition,  which  had  such 
an  effect  on  the  ingenuous  youth,  that  he  forgot  his 
treachery,  and  again  believed  in  his  promises  and 
assurances  that  the  torments  he  had  undergone  had 
only  been  inflicted  as  trials  of  his  constancy  and 
belief  in  the  true  religion,  and  that  this  probation 
was  necessary  before  the  great  art  of  transmuting 
metals  could  be  safely  entrusted  to  his  keeping. 

The  remainder  of  the  voyage  was  prosperous  and 
happy,  and  after  another  three  months,  the  vessel 
anchored  on  the  wished-for  coast,  which  was  rocky 
and  the  beach  was  strewn  with  pebbles  of  every  colour 


306  New  Arabian  Nights. 

The  magician  gave  orders  to  the  captain  to  wait 
a  month  for  their  return,  and  he  and  Mazin  dis 
embarked,  and  proceeded  together  into  the  country. 
As  soon  as  they  were  out  of  sight  of  the  ship,  the 
magician  sat  down,  and  taking  a  small  drum  from 
his  vestband,  began  to  beat  upon  it  with  two  sticks, 
when  instantly  a  whirlwind  arose,  and  a  thick  column 
of  dust  rolled  towards  them  from  the  desert.  Mazin 
was  alarmed,  and  regretted  that  he  had  left  the 
vessel  ;  but  the  magician,  seeing  his  colour  change, 
assured  him  that  he  need  be  under  no  apprehen 
sions,  and  that  he  had  only  to  obey  his  orders  to 
be  happy.  He  had  scarcely  spoken,  when  the  wind 
ceased,  the  dust  dispersed,  and  three  camels  stood 
before  them,  one  of  which  was  loaded  with  water  and 
provisions,  and  the  others  were  bridled  and  richly 
caparisoned.  Bah  ram  and  Mazin  then  mounted,  and 
travelled  for  seven  days  and  nights  across  a  wild  and 
sandy  desert,  only  halting  for  necessary  refreshments 
and  repose. 

On  the  eighth  morning  they  reached  a  beautiful 
and  fertile  tract,  delightfully  watered  by  clear 
streams.  The  ground  was  verdant  with  grass,  and 
shaded  by  spreading  trees  laden  with  fruit.  Birds 
warbled  melodiously  in  the  branches,  and  antelopes 
and  other  animals  sported  in  the  shade.  At  the  end 
of  a  thick  avenue  stood  a  capacious  dome  of  blue 


The  Story  of  Mazin  of  Khorassan.     307 

and  green  enamel,  resting  upon  four  columns  of  solid 
gold,  each  pillar  exceeding  in  value  the  treasures 
of  the  sovereigns  of  Persia  and  Greece.  They 
approached  the  dome,  stopped  the  camels,  and 
dismounted,  and  turned  the  animals  to  graze.  This 
splendid  building  was  surrounded  by  a  delightful 
garden,  in  which  Mazin  and  the  magician  rested  all 
that  day  and  night.  At  some  distance  from  this 
enchanting  spot  appeared  a  stupendous  fabric.  Its 
numerous  turrets  and  lofty  pinnacles  glittered  in  the 
sun,  and  Mazin,  perceiving  that  it  must  be  a  palace 
of  uncommon  magnificence,  asked  his  companion  to 
whom  this  superb  edifice  might  belong.  But  the 
magician  rather  abruptly  told  him  to  ask  no  questions 
at  present ;  for  the  palace  belonged  to  his  bitterest 
enemies,  who  were  evil  genii ;  and  that  he  would  give 
him  their  history  at  a  more  convenient  opportunity. 
Mazin  said  nothing  ;  but  he  began  to  suspect  some 
new  treachery,  from  the  magician's  manner. 

In  the  morning  Bahram  beat  his  magic  drum,  and 
the  three  camels  appeared.  He  and  Mazin  then 
remounted,  and  pursued  their  journey  in  the  same 
manner  as  before,  for  seven  days  ;  and  their  speed 
more  resembled  the  flight  of  birds  than  the  ordin 
ary  rate  of  travel.  On  the  eighth  morning,  the 
magician  inquired  of  Mazin  whether  he  saw  any 
thing  unusual  on  the  horizon. 


308  New  Arabian  Nights. 

"  I  behold,"  said  he,  "  an  appearance  like  a  range 
of  black  clouds  extending  from  east  to  west." 
"They  are  not  clouds,"  replied  Bahram,  "but  lofty 
mountains,  called  the  Mountains  of  the  Clouds,  from 
their  appearance  at  a  distance.  On  their  summit 
lies  the  object  of  our  journey,  which  we  shall  soon 
obtain  if  you  will  give  me  your  aid,  and  then  we 
shall  return  to  the  ship  richer  than  all  the  sovereigns 
of  the  world.  But  you  must  be  sure  to  obey  me 
in  whatever  I  may  command." 

Mazin  promised  to  do  so,  but  his  heart  sank 
within  him  when  he  looked  upon  the  gloomy  region 
before  him,  and  remembered  the  magician's  boast 
of  having  sacrificed  thirty-nine  youthful  victims  on 
these  mountains,  and  his  threat  on  board  the  ship 
to  make  him  the  fortieth.  He  repented  that  he 
had  ventured  to  leave  the  vessel  with  Bahram  ;  but 
it  was  now  too  late  to  recede.  He  resigned  him 
self  to  the  decrees  of  God,  who  had  already  relieved 
his  sufferings  during  the  voyage,  and  concealed  his 
uneasiness  as  well  as  he  could  from  the  crafty 
magician,  who  on  his  part  endeavoured  to  soothe 
and  flatter  him  with  artful  promises  and  caresses. 

They  pursued  their  journey  for  four  days  longer, 
when  they  arrived  at  the  foot  of  the  black  mountains, 
which  formed  a  wall  of  inaccessible  precipices,  as 
perpendicular  as  if  they  had  been  scarped  by  art ; 


The  Story  of  Mazin  of  Khorassan.     309 

and  their  tremendous  height  cast  a  dark  and  gloomy 
shade  to  a  vast  distance.  They  now  dismounted, 
and  turned  the  camels  to  graze,  when  the  magician 
took  from  his  wallet  three  loaves  and  a  skin  of 
water.  He  then  lit  a  fire,  and  beat  his  drum  ;  and 
when  the  camels  appeared,  he  chose  the  smallest, 
which  he  killed,  and  carefully  flayed,  washing  the 
inside  of  the  skin  with  water.  When  this  was  done, 
he  said  to  Mazin,  "  My  son,  it  now  rests  with  you 
to  crown  our  labours  with  success.  Enter  this  skin, 
taking  with  you  the  three  loaves,  and  the  skin  of 
water  for  your  sustenance  while  you  remain  on  the 
mountain  ;  and  fear  nothing,  for  no  harm  can  happen 
to  you.  I  will  sew  up  the  skin,  leaving  room  for 
the  admission  of  the  air ;  and  presently  a  roc  will 
descend,  and  carry  you  in  her  talons  to  the  level 
ground  on  the  summit  of  the  mountain.  As  soon 
as  she  alights,  rip.  open  the  stitches  of  the  skin  with 
your  dagger,  and  the  roc  will  be  scared  away. 
Then  arise,  and  gather  as  much  as  possible  of  a 
black  dust  which  you  will  find  thickly  strewed  on 
the  ground.  Put  it  into  this  bag,  and  throw  it  down 
to  me,  after  which  I  will  contrive  an  easy  means  for 
your  descent.  When  you  have  rejoined  me,  we  will 
return  to  the  vessel,  and  I.  will  convey  you  safely 
back  to  your  own  country.  We  will  share  the  dust 
between  us,  for  it  has  the  property  of  transmuting 


310  New  Arabian  Nights. 

metals  into  gold  ;  and   we  shall  each    have  enough 
to  rival  all  the  treasures  on  earth." 

Mazin  finding  it  in  vain  to  oppose,  allowed  him 
self  to  be  sewed  up  in  the  skin,  recommending 
himself  in  prayer  to  the  protection  of  Allah  and  the 
Prophet.  When  the  magician  had  finished  his  work, 
he  withdrew  to  a  distance.  Presently  a  monstrous 
roc,  darting  from  a  craggy  precipice  with  the  rapidity 
of  lightning,  grasped  the  skin  in  her  vast  talons, 
and  soaring  swifter  than  the  eagle,  soon  alighted  on 
the  summit  of  the  mountain.  When  Mazin  felt 
himself  on  the  ground,  he  ripped  open  the  skin, 
and  when  the  roc  saw  him,  she  uttered  a  loud  cry, 
and  flew  away.  Mazin  arose,  and  walked  upon  the 
summit  of  the  mountain,  which  he  found  covered 
with  black  dust ;  but  he  also  beheld  the  skeletons 
of  the  young  men  whom  the  accursed  Bahram  had 
left  to  perish,  after  they  had  served  his  purpose. 
His  blood  froze  with  horror  as  he  apprehended 
the  same  unhappy  fate ;  but  he  filled  his  bag  with 
the  black  powder,  and  advanced  to  the  edge  of  a 
precipice,  from  which  he  beheld  the  magician  eagerly 
looking  out  for  him  below.  Mazin  called  out,  and 
when  the  hypocrite  saw  him,  he  began  dancing  and 
capering  for  joy,  and  exclaimed,  "  Welcome,  wel 
come,  my  son,  my  best  friend,  my  beloved  child  ! 
All  our  dangers  are  over,  throw  me  down  the  bag." 


The  Story  of  Mazin  of  Khorassan.     311 

"  I  will  not,"  replied  Mazin,  "  until  you  have  con 
veyed  me  safely  from  this  dangerous  place." 

"  That  is  out  of  my  power,"  said  Bahram,  "  until 
I  have  the  bag  ;  but  if  you  will  throw  it  down,  I 
swear  by  the  fire  which  I  worship,  that  I  will  im 
mediately  procure  you  a  safe  descent." 

Mazin  relied  on  his  oath,  and  as  he  saw  no  other 
chance  of  escape,  he  threw  down  the  bag.  The  ac 
cursed  magician  immediately  seized  it,  and  mounted 
his  camel,  when  the  unfortunate  Mazin  cried  out, 
"  Surely  you  will  not  forfeit  your  oath,  and  leave 
me  here  to  perish." 

"Perish  you  must,  Muslim  dog,"  replied  the 
magician,  "that  my  secret  may  be  kept.  Your 
Prophet  cannot  help  you,  for  the  mountains  around 
are  impassable,  and  below  is  a  fathomless  sea. 
I  have  obtained  my  object,  and  now  leave  you  to 
your  fate."  Having  said  this,  he  urged  his  camel 
on,  and  was  soon  out  of  sight. 

Mazin  was  in  an  agony  of  despair,  and  not  a  ray 
of  hope  comforted  his  mind.  He  beat  his  bosom, 
and  threw  himself  on  the  ground  amid  the  moulder 
ing  skeletons  of  the  former  victims  to  the  treachery 
of  the  magician,  and  lay  for  a  time  in  a  state  of 
insensibility.  At  length  he  was  aroused  by  the  calls 
of  hunger  and  thirst,  and  the  love  of  life,  however 
miserable,  made  him  have  recourse  to  his  bread  and 


312  New  Arabian  Nights. 

water.  This  revived  him  a  little,  when  his  religion 
came  to  his  aid,  and  he  began  to  pray  for  resignation 
to  submit  to  the  decrees  of  Heaven,  however  painful. 
He  then  walked  to  the  edge  of  the  mountain  over 
hanging  the  sea,  which  he  perceived  to  wash  the  base 
of  the  rock  without  any  beach.  At  this  sight,  a 
desperate  chance  of  escape  struck  his  mind,  and  he 
resolved  to  throw  himself  from  the  precipice  into  the 
ocean,  hoping  that  if  he  should  survive  the  fall,  and 
rise  to  the  surface,  he  might  reach  land.  He  com 
mended  himself  to  God,  shut  his  eyes,  held  in  his 
breath,  and  giving  a  desperate  spring,  plunged  head 
long  into  the  dreadful  abyss,  which  providentially 
received  him  unhurt,  and  a  friendly  wave  drove  him 
on  shore,  where  he  lay  for  some  minutes  insensible, 
owing  to  the  rapidity  of  his  descent  from  the  brain- 
sickening  precipice. 

When  he  recovered  his  senses,  Mazin  looked  wildly 
around  him,  and  was  at  first  scarcely  able  to  bear 
the  light  from  the  recollection  of  the  dizzy  eminence 
from  which  he  had  plunged  ;  and  an  uneasy  interval 
elapsed  before  he  could  persuade  himself  that  the 
certainty  of  death  was  past.  When  he  was  at  length 
convinced  of  this,  he  prostrated  himself  on  the  earth, 
and  exclaimed,  "  In  God  alone  is  our  refuge  and 
support !  I  thought  I  should  have  perished,  but  His 
providence  has  sustained  me."  He  then  wept  ex- 


The  Story  of  Mazin  of  Khorassan.     3 1 3 


ceedingly,  entreated  forgiveness  of  his  offences,  read 
several  passages  from  the  Koran,  which  he  had 
preserved  in  his  vestband,  repeated  the  whole  of  his 
rosary,  and  besought  the  intercession  of  the  Prophet 
for  his  deliverance  from  future  dangers.  After  this, 
he  walked  on  till  evening  ;  eating  the  fruit  of  the 
forest,  drinking  the  waters  of  the  streams,  and  resting 
on  the  green  turf.  He  proceeded  thus  for  three 
days,  when  he  reached  the  spot  under  the  mountains 
where  the  roc  had  taken  him  up  in  the  camel's  skin. 
He  now  recognised  the  road  he  had  come,  and  after 
measuring  back  his  steps  for  nine  days,  he  at  length 
came  in  sight  of  the  superb  palace,  concerning  which 
the  magician  had  told  him  that  it  was  inhabited  by 
evil  genii,  his  bitterest  enemies. 

Mazin  hesitated  for  some  time  whether  he  should 
approach  it  or  not ;  but  he  reflected  that  no  greater 
calamity  could  happen  to  him  than  he  had  already 
fared,  and  despising  the  imaginary  danger,  he 
advanced  boldly  to  a  grand  lodge  built  of  white 
marble  exquisitely  polished.  He  entered,  and  on 
one  of  the  raised  platforms  which  skirted  the  passage 
into  the  court  he  beheld  two  beautiful  maidens  play 
ing  at  chess.  One  of  them  caught  sight  of  him  and 
exclaimed  :  "  Surely,  sister,  this  is  the  young  man 
who  passed  this  way  about  a  month  ago  with 
Bahram  the  magician  I  " 

28 


314  New  Arabian  Nights. 

"  I  am  he,"  cried  Mazin,  throwing  himself  on  the 
ground,  "  and  entreat  your  hospitable  protection." 

The  lady  raised  him  up  saying  :  "  Stranger,  you  so 
much  resemble  a  beloved  brother  whom  we  have  lost, 
that  I  feel  moved  to  adopt  you  as  my  brother  if  my 
sister  will  consent  to  do  so  also."  The  other  lady 
readily  assented,  and  they  seated  Mazin  between 
them  and  made  him  give  them  a  full  account  of  his 
adventures. 

When  Mazin  had  finished  his  story  the  ladies  were 
moved  with  compassion  for  his  misfortunes,  and  were 
highly  indignant  at  the  insolence  of  the  magician, 
who  had  accused  them  of  being  evil  genii.  They 
then  proceeded  to  acquaint  him  with  the  cause  of 
their  residence  in  this  secluded  place,  saying  :  "  Know, 
brother,  that  our  father  is  a  powerful  king  of  a  race 
of  good  genii,  who  were  converted  to  the  true  faith  by 
Solomon,  the  son  of  David.  We  are  seven  daughters 
by  the  same  mother,  but  our  father  being  fearful  lest 
some  evil  might  happen  to  us,  has  placed  us  in  this 
solitary  spot.  This  palace  was  built  for  us  by  genii, 
and  it  is  surrounded  by  delightful  meadows  and 
forests  abounding  with  game,  and  we  often  amuse 
ourselves  with  field-sports.  When  we  want  horses  or 
camels  we  have  only  to  beat  a  small  magic  drum, 
and  they  instantly  attend  our  call,  ready  caparisoned. 
Our  five  sisters  are  at  present  at  the  chase  but  will 


The  Story  of  Mazin  of  Khorassan.     315 

soon  return.  Set  your  heart  at  rest,  for  your  mis 
fortunes  are  now  at  an  end,  and  you  shall  dwell  with 
us  in  ease  and  pleasure." 

The  five  sisters  soon  returned,  and  on  hearing 
Mazin's  adventures,  they  also  adopted  him  as  their 
brother,  and  he  remained  with  them  some  time, 
leading  a  most  pleasant  life,  for  they  did  all  in  their 
power  to  divert  him  with  various  amusements  both  at 
home  and  abroad.  Mazin  soon  recovered  his  health, 
and  was  happy  to  the  extent  of  his  wishes.  At  the 
end  of  a  year,  Mazin  was  riding  out  to  the  enamelled 
dome,  with  golden  columns,  when  he  perceived  under 
it  the  accursed  magician,  accompanied  by  a  youth 
whom  he  had  inveigled  into  his  snares  and  devoted 
to  destruction.  The  rage  of  Mazin  was  kindled  at 
the  sight,  and  drawing  his  sabre  he  rushed  upon  the 
sorcerer,  who  was  in  the  act  of  flaying  a  camel,  and 
seized  him  by  the  hair,  exclaiming :  "  Wretch,  the 
judgment  of  heaven  has  at  length  overtaken  thee, 
and  thy  impure  soul  shall  soon  be  plunged  into  that 
fire  thou  blasphemously  adorest."  The  magician 
struggled  to  escape,  and  prayed  for  mercy  and 
forgiveness ;  but  Mazin,  convinced  by  experience 
that  he  deserved  none,  struck  off  his  head  at  one 
blow.  The  young  man  stood  near,  gazing  with 
astonishment  upon  the  scene,  till  Mazin  informed 
him  of  the  wicked  arts  of  the  accursed  Bahram,  and 


316  New  Arabian  Nights. 

of  his  own  narrow  escape  from  almost  certain  de 
struction,  and  advised  him  to  remount  his  camel  and 
return  to  the  spot  where  he  had  disembarked  from 
the  vessel,  which  would  safely  convey  him  back  to  his 
own  country.  The  young  man  thanked  him  for  his 
deliverance  and  took  his  leave,  while  Mazin  returned 
to  the  palace,  carrying  with  him  the  head  of  the 
magician  as  a  trophy  of  his  victory.  He  was  highly 
applauded  for  his  prowess  by  the  sisters,  who  rejoiced 
at  the  destruction  of  so  cruel  an  enemy  to  mankind. 

A  few  days  after  this,  Mazin  and  the  sisters  were 
sitting  together  in  a  gallery  of  the  palace  when  they 
observed  a  thick  cloud  of  dust  rising  from  the  desert 
and  approaching  them.  As  it  came  nearer  they 
perceived  through  it  a  troop  of  horsemen,  upon  which 
the  sisters  desired  Mazin  to  retire  into  an  inner 
chamber,  and  went  to  the  gateway  to  inquire  the 
business  of  the  strangers.  They  proved  to  be 
messengers  whom  their  father  had  sent  to  escort 
them  to  his  presence,  in  order  to  attend  the  nuptials 
of  a  near  relative.  Upon  this  summons  the  sisters 
prepared  for  the  journey,  and  at  the  end  of  three 
days  they  departed,  promising  Mazin  that  they 
would  return  in  a  month.  When  they  took  leave  of 
him  they  gave  him  the  keys  of  every  apartment  in 
the  castle,  telling  him  that  he  might  open  every 
door  but  one,  which  he  had  better  not  open  lest  some 


He  yielded  to  the  impulse  of  curiosity,  aud  unlocked  the  door. 


318 


The  Story  of  Mazin  of  Khorassan.     3 1 9 

misfortune  should  happen  to  him.  Mazin  promised 
to  obey,  and  was  so  well  amused  for  many  days  in 
examining  the  magnificent  rooms  and  curiosities  of 
the  palace  that  he  did  not  feel  inclined  to  disobey, 
until  the  forbidden  door  alone  remained  unopened. 
Having  then  nothing  to  divert  him,  he  yielded  to  the 
impulse  of  curiosity,  and  unlocked  the  door,  which 
led  him  to  a  marble  staircase,  which  led  to  the  terrace 
roof  of  the  palace,  where  an  enchanting  prospect  met 
his  sight.  On  one  side  he  perceived  an  extensive 
garden,  in  the  centre  of  which  was  a  basin  of  clear 
water,  lined  with  gems  of  every  description  and 
surrounded  with  shady  trees.  He  wished  to  examine 
it  more  closely,  and  after  descending  the  staircase, 
he  explored  his  way  through  a  long  arcade  which  led 
him  at  length  into  the  garden,  where  he  amused 
himself  for  some  time.  He  then  sat  down  to  rest  in 
an  alcove  near  the  basin,  when  he  was  astonished  to 
perceive  a  company  of  damsels,  like  houris,  descend 
ing  from  the  sky,  whose  robes  of  light  green  silk 
floating  in  the  air  seemed  their  only  support.  Mazin 
was  alarmed  at  this  unexpected  sight,  and  retired  to 
the  end  of  the  alcove,  from  whence  he  watched  their 
motions.  They  alighted  on  the  brink  of  the  water, 
threw  off  their  robes  and  plunged  into  it.  They 
swam  about  for  some  time  sporting  in  the  water  and 
dashing  it  over  each  other ;  but  one  among  them 


320  New  Arabian  Nights. 


was  of  such  surpassing  loveliness  that  her  image 
became  stamped  indelibly  on  the  heart  of  Mazin. 
When  they  were  tired  they  came  out  of  the  water, 
reassumed  their  green  robes,  and  after  resting  for  a 
few  moments  on  the  verdant  sward,  soared  into 
the  air  and  were  soon  far  beyond  the  sight  of  the 
enamoured  Mazin,  who  followed  them  with  his  eyes 
till  he  could  distinguish  them  no  longer.  Despairing 
of  ever  again  beholding  the  object  of  his  affections^ 
he  fainted  on  the  grass,  and  did  not  recover  himself 
for  some  time.  He  returned  melancholy  to  the 
palace,  and  spent  the  night  in  tears  and  longing. 

On  the  following  morning  the  seven  sisters  returned, 
and  she  who  had  first  welcomed  Mazin  to  their  abode, 
and  had  ever  since  retained  for  him  the  purest  affec 
tion,  ran  eagerly  to  inquire  after  his  health.  Great 
was  her  affliction  at  beholding  him  stretched  upon 
his  bed,  pale  and  worn,  after  his  sleepless  and  weary 
night.  He  returned  no  answer  to  her  many  kind 
questions ;  and  at  length  she  implored  him  by  the 
sisterly  affection  which  she  bore  for  him,  to  inform 
her  of  the  cause  of  his  dejection,  assuring  him  that 
she  would  use  every  exertion  to  remove  it,  and  to 
gratify  his  wishes,  whatever  they  might  be,  or  what 
ever  difficulties  might  stand  in  the  way.  Upon  this 
Mazin  in  a  feeble  voice  related  his  adventure  in  the 
garden,  and  declared  that  unless  he  could  obtain 


The  Story  of  Mazin  of  Khorassan.     321 

possession  of  the  beautiful  damsel  whom  he  thought 
must  have  descended  from  Paradise,  he  must  die  of 
grief.  His  sister  then  comforted  him,  saying  that  his 
desire  should  soon  be  granted  ;  and  his  spirits  revived. 
He  accompanied  her  to  meet  the  other  sisters,  who 
met  him  with  their  usual  kindness,  but  were  much 
grieved  and  alarmed  at  the  sad  alteration  in  his  ap 
pearance.  He  assured  them,  however,  that  it  was 
only  the  effect  of  the  prolonged  absence  of  his  kind 
friends  ;  and  now  that  they  had  returned,  he  would 
speedily  recover  his  usual  health  and  cheerfulness. 

Next  morning  the  ladies  went  again  upon  a  hunting 
excursion  for  ten  days,  but  Mazin's  adopted  sister 
remained  behind,  saying  that  he  was  not  yet  suffi 
ciently  recovered  to  bear  the  exercise  ;  and  that  she 
would  stay  at  home  with  him.  When  the  others  were 
gone,  she  informed  Mazin  that  the  beautiful  damsels 
he  had  seen  in  the  garden  belonged  to  a  race  of  genii 
much  more  powerful  than  her  own.  They  inhab 
ited  a  country  surrounded  by  unapproachable  seas 
and  deserts,  and  belonged  to  a  nation  of  females  who 
only  received  occasional  visits  from  the  neighbouring 
tribes,  to  whom  all  the  male  children  were  sent  as 
soon  as  they  were  born.  She  likewise  told  him  that 
their  silken  robes  gave  them  the  power  of  soaring 
through  the  air  a  hundred  times  swifter  than  any 
bird,  that  they  were  fond  of  amusing  themselves  in 


322  New  Arabian  Nights. 

verdant  spots  and  bathing  in  the  clearest  waters,  and 
that  as  the  garden  in  which  he  had  seen  them  was  a 
favourite  place  of  their  resort,  they  would  probably 
soon  visit  it  again.  "  Perhaps,"  added  she,  "  they  may 
return  to-day.  We  will  be  on  the  watch,  and  if  they 
appear,  you  must  watch  where  your  favourite  places 
her  robes,  and  seize  and  conceal  them  while  she  is 
in  the  water,  for  she  cannot  fly  away  without  them. 
Then  you  must  bring  her  to  the  palace,  and  endeavour 
to  gain  her  affection  by  constant  tenderness  and 
watchful  attentions,  that  she  may  consent  to  a 
marriage  ;  but  when  she  is  in  your  power,  remember 
to  conceal  her  robes  from  her,  for  if  she  should  regain 
possession  of  them,  she  would  certainly  return  to 
the  Flying  Islands,  and  you  would  see  her  no 
more." 

Mazin  and  his  sister  now  repaired  to  the  garden, 
and  seated  themselves  in  the  alcove,  and  they  had  not 
been  there  long  when  the  damsels  descended  the 
basin  as  before,  and  flinging  their  robes  aside,  plunged 
into  the  water.  As  soon  as  their  attention  was  fully 
occupied  with  their  own  diversion,  Mazin  cautiously 
snatched  up  the  robes  of  his  beloved,  and  conveyed 
them  to  the  alcove  unperceived  by  the  fair  bathers, 
who  after  sufficiently  amusing  themselves,  left  the 
water,  and  prepared  to  take  their  departure.  But 
when  Mazin's  beloved  missed  her  robes,  she  beat  her 


The  Story  of  Mazin  of  Khorassan.     323 

bosom,  tore  her  hair,  and  uttered  loud  shrieks,  and  big 
tears  rolled  down  her  beautiful  cheeks.  But  her 
sisters,  instead  of  consoling  her,  were  concerned  only 
for  their  own  safety,  and  hastily  assuming  their  robes, 
bade  her  farewell,  mounted  into  the  air,  and  disap 
peared.  As  soon  as  they  were  gone,  Mazin  and 
his  sister  approached,  and  saluting  the  deserted 
lady,  endeavoured  to  console  her ;  but  for  the  present 
in  vain,  as  her  mind  was  intent  only  on  the  sad  cap 
tivity  which  she  thought  awaited  her,  and  the  loss  of 
her  native  country  and  relations.  They  led  her  to  the 
palace,  and  Mazin  respectfully  retired,  leaving  her  to 
the  care  of  his  sister,  who  by  a  thousand  endearments 
and  attentions  so  gained  upon  her  that  after  two  days 
she  began  to  recover  her  spirits,  and  consented  to 
receive  Mazin  as  her  husband,  when  the  other  sisters 
should  return  from  the  chase.  On  their  arrival  at  the 
palace,  they  were  introduced  to  the  fair  stranger,  who 
was  so  diverted  by  their  company  and  attentions  that 
she  almost  ceased  to  regret  her  captivity.  Prepar 
ations  were  now  made  for  the  wedding,  which  was 
succeeded  by  a  round  of  festivities,  and  the  seven 
sisters  vied  with  each  other  in  devising  new  pleasures 
for  the  happy  pair. 

Mazin  at  length,  however,  began  to  reflect  on  the 
anguish  which  his  mother  must  experience  at  his  long 
absence,  and  finally  begged  leave  to  return  home ; 


324  New  Arabian  Nights. 

and  unwilling  as  his  sisters  were  to  part  from  him, 
they  respected  his  anxiety  for  his  mother,  and  fixed 
a  day  for  his  departure.  When  the  time  arrived,  the 
sisters  beat  their  magic  drum,  when  several  camels 
appeared  at  the  gate  of  the  palace,  heavily  laden  with 
the  richest  stuffs,  besides  gold,  jewels,  and  refresh 
ments  for  the  journey,  and  accompanied  by  a  sufficient 
escort.  One  camel  was  richly  caparisoned  for  the  use 
of  Mazin,  and  another  carried  a  splendid  litter  for  the 
conveyance  of  his  wife.  He  took  an  affectionate  leave 
of  the  sisters,  whom  he  promised  to  revisit  at  some 
future  time,  and  the  caravan  then  set  out  towards  the 
seashore  where  Maziu  had  disembarked  with  the 
magician.  The  journey  was  prosperous,  and  on 
reaching  the  coast,  they  found  a  vessel  ready  to  re 
ceive  them,  and  as  the  wind  was  favourable,  Mazin 
soon  arrived  at  his  home,  where  he  had  the  satisfaction 
of  finding  his  mother  alive,  though  greatly  wasted 
with  constant  grief  and  lamentation  for  his  loss.  To 
describe  the  joy  of  their  meeting  is  impossible  ;  for 
never  was  there  a  more  tender  affection  between 
parent  and  child  than  subsisted  between  Mazin  and 
his  mother.  She  seemed  to  gain  new  life  from  his 
return,  and  to  grow  young  again.  His  wife,  too, 
appeared  quite  contented  with  her  lot,  and  Mazin 
was  happy  in  the  possession  of  all  that  he  desired  ; 
but  lest  his  fellow  townsmen  should  take  umbrage  at 


The  Story  of  Mazin  of  Khorassan.     325 

his  sudden  prosperity,  he  decided  to  remove  to  Bagdad 
with  his  family. 

Three  years  passed  away  in  undisturbed  happi 
ness  ;  and  Mazin's  wife  had  presented  him  with  two 
sons,  when  he  thought  that  it  would  be  only  an  act 
of  gratitude  to  pay  a  visit  to  the  sisters  to  whom  he 
owed  all  his  felicity.  After  making  preparations 
for  his  journey,  he  committed  his  wife's  silken  robes 
to  the  care  of  his  mother,  giving  her  the  key  of  a 
secret  recess  in  which  he  had  lodged  them  ;  but 
with  a  strict  charge  to  keep  them  from  his  wife,  lest 
an  irresistible  impulse  might  inspire  her  to  fly  away 
to  her  own  country,  for  although  she  generally 
appeared  contented,  yet  she  could  not  help  some 
times  regretting  her  absence  from  her  home  and 
friends.  The  mother  promised  obedience,  and 
Mazin,  after  taking  an  affectionate  leave  of  her  and 
of  his  wife  and  children,  with  promises  to  return 
soon,  embarked  on  board  a  vessel,  and  pursued  his 
voyage.  On  landing,  he  found  camels  awaiting  his 
arrival,  for  the  sisters  knew  of  his  coming  by  their 
magic  arts,  and  had  stationed  them  ready  to  convey 
him  to  the  palace. 

Some  time  after  the  departure  of  Mazin,  his  wife 
requested  her  mother-in-law's  permission  to  visit  the 
bath  ;  and  the  old  lady  willingly  accompanied  her 
and  the  children  to  the  most  celebrated  bath  in  the 

29 


326  New  Arabian  Nights. 

city,  which  was  frequented  by  the  ladies  of  the  Court. 
On  their  arrival,  they  found  some  of  the  principal 
slaves  of  Zobeide,  the  favourite  consort  of  the  Caliph 
Haroun  al  Rashid,  who  were  so  much  struck  with 
the  uncommon  beauty  of  Mazin's  wife,  that  they 
not  only  crowded  round  to  admire  her,  but  even 
followed  her  until  she  entered  her  own  house, 
when  they  returned  to  the  palace  in  apprehension 
lest  their  mistress  should  be  displeased  at  their 
long  absence. 

They  had  not  miscalculated ;  for  when  they 
entered  her  presence,  Zobeide  exclaimed :  "  Where 
have  you  loitered,  and  what  is  the  reason  of  your 
staying  so  unusually  long  at  the  bath  ?  " 

Upon  this,  they  looked  at  each  other  in  confusion, 
and  remained  silent. 

The  Sultana  was  angry,  and  said,  "  Inform  me 
instantly  of  the  cause  of  your  delay ; "  when  they 
told  her  of  the  wonderful  beauty  of  Mazin's  wife, 
and  talked  so  much  about  her,  that  Zobeide  was 
seized  with  curiosity  to  behold  her. 

On  the  following  day  she  sent  for  Mazin's  mother, 
who  obeyed  the  summons  with  fear  and  trembling, 
wondering  what  the  caliph's  consort  could  want 
with  a  person  of  her  inferior  rank. 

Mazin's  mother  prostrated  herself  before  the 
Sultana,  and  kissed  her  feet,  but  she  graciously 


The  most  celebrated  bath  in  the  city,  which  was  frequented  by  the 
ladies  of  the  Court. 


The  Story  of  Mazin  of  Khorassan.    329 

« 
raised  her,  saying :    "  O  mother  of  Mazin,   it  is  my 

pleasure  that  you  should  introduce  me  to  your  son's 
wife,  of  whose  beauty  I  have  heard  such  extra 
ordinary  accounts,  that  I  long  to  behold  her." 

When  the  old  lady  heard  these  words,  her  heart 
sank  within  her,  and  she  trembled  with  apprehension, 
but  did  not  dare  to  disobey  the  commands  of 
Zobeide ;  and  saying,  "  To  hear  is  to  obey,"  she 
took  leave,  with  the  usual  ceremony  of  prostration 
before  the  throne  of  the  Sultana. 

After  this,  Mazin's  mother  returned  immediately 
to  her  own  house,  and  said  to  her  son's  wife,  "  The 
Sultana  Zobeide  has  invited  you  to  an  entertain 
ment." 

The  lady  was  delighted,  and  instantly  arrayed 
herself  in  her  richest  apparel,  and  dressed  her  two 
children  in  their  richest  garments  and  ornaments. 
She  then  set  out  with  them,  accompanied  by  her 
mother-in-law,  and  a  black  slave  ;  and  when  they 
entered  the  palace  of  the  Sultana  Zobeide,  they 
found  her  sitting  in  impatient  expectation.  They 
kissed  the  ground  before  her,  and  prayed  for  her 
prosperity. 

When  the  Sultana  Zobeide  beheld  the  wife  of 
Mazin,  her  senses  were  confounded,  and  her  heart 
fluttered,  for  she  was  astonished  at  her  beauty, 
elegance,  graceful  stature  and  blooming  complexion, 


330  New  Arabian  Nights. 

and  exclaimed,  "  Gracious  heaven,  where  could  such 
a  form  as  this  have  been  created  ? " 

Then  she  seated  her  guests  and  ordered  a  colla 
tion  to  be  brought  in,  which  was  done  immediately, 
when  they  ate  until  they  were  satisfied  ;  but  Zobeide 
could  not  keep  her  eyes  from  Mazin's  wife.  She 
kissed  her,  and  questioned  her  concerning  herself 
and  her  husband.  Her  surprise  was  much  increased 
when  she  heard  their  adventures. 

The  lady  then  said,  "  O  princess,  if  you  are  thus 
surprised,  though  you  have  not  seen  me  in  the  dress 
which  I  wear  in  my  own  country,  how  much  more 
would  you  be  delighted  at  my  appearance  then ! 
If,  therefore,  you  wish  to  gratify  your  curiosity  by 
beholding  a  miracle,  you  must  command  my  hus 
band's  mother  to  bring  my  robes  of  green  silk." 

Upon  this,  Zobeide  commanded  the  old  lady  to 
fetch  them,  and  as  she  dared  not  disobey,  she  went 
home,  and  soon  returned  with  them.  Zobeide  took 
them  in  her  own  hands,  and  when  she  examined 
them,  she  was  astonished  at  their  fashion  and  texture 
At  length  she  restored  them  to  their  original  owner. 

As  soon  as  Mazin's  wife  had  received  the  robes 
she  unfolded  them,  and  going  into  the  open  court 
of  the  palace,  arrayed  herself  in  them,  and  taking 
her  children  in  her  arms,  rose  suddenly  into  the  air. 
But  before  taking  her  final  departure*  she  called  out 


The  Story  of  Mazin  of  Khorassan.     331 

to  her  husband's  mother,  saying,  "  Dear  mother,  give 
my  adieu  to  my  husband,  and  tell  him  that  if  he 
loves  me  as  he  pretends,  he  may  come  to  the  islands 
of  Wauk-al-Wauk  to  find  me." 

Having  said  this,  she  soared  towards  the  clouds 
till  she  disappeared  from  their  sight,  and  returned 
to  her  own  country. 

When  the  mother  of  Mazin  beheld  her  in  the  air, 
she  beat  her  face,  threw  dust  upon  her  head,  and 
cried  out  to  the  Sultana  Zobeide,  "  This  is  your 
mischief !  " 

But  Zobeide  was  unable  to  answer,  or  to  reprove 
her  boldness,  from  the  excess  of  her  sorrow  and 
regret,  which  made  her  repent,  when  repentance  was 
of  no  avail. 

The  old  lady  returned  in  despair  to  her  own 
habitation. 

Meanwhile  Mazin  continued  his  journey  by  land 
for  some  time,  until  he  reached  the  palace  of  the 
sisters,  who  were  delighted  at  his  arrival,  and 
inquired  after  his  wife,  when  he  informed  them  that 
she  was  well,  and  that  God  had  blessed  him  with 
two  sons ;  and  this  good  news  increased  their 
pleasure.  He  remained  with  them  for  some  time, 
alter  which  he  entreated  their  permission  to  depart. 
They  took  an  affectionate  leave  of  him,  and  he 
returned  to  his  own  country,  travelling  without 


33  2  New  Arabian  Nights. 

ceasing  until  he  reached  his  home,  where  he  found 
his  mother  alone,  weeping  and  lamenting  over 
what  had  happened  in  his  absence.  Seeing  her  in 
this  state,  he  inquired  the  cause,  upon  which  she 
informed  him  of  everything  that  had  taken  place, 
from  first  to  last. 

When  Mazin  heard  the  terrible  news,  he  cried 
out  in  an  agony  of  distress  for  the  loss  of  his  wife 
and  children,  and  fell  fainting  to  the  ground, 
oblivious  of  his  own  existence.  When  his  mother 
saw  him  in  this  condition,  she  slapped  his  face,  and 
sprinkled  water  over  him  till  he  came  to  himself, 
when  he  wept,  and  said,  "  Inform  me  of  what  my 
wife  may  have  spoken  on  her  departure."  She 
repeated  her  farewell  words,  upon  which  his  distress, 
and  his  ardent  longing  for  his  wife  and  children, 
redoubled.  He  remained  mournfully  at  home  for 
ten  days,  after  which  he  resolved  to  set  out  on  his 
way  to  the  islands  of  Wauk-al-Wauk,  which  lie  at 
the  distance  of  a  hundred  and  fifty  years'  journey 
from  Bagdad. 

Mazin  departed  from  his  mother  after  taking  leave 
of  her,  and  entreating  her  prayers  for  his  success  ; 
but  she  was  so  much  afflicted  that  she  ordered  her 
tomb  to  be  prepared,  and  did  nothing  but  weep 
night  and  day  for  her  son,  who  travelled  without 
halting  until  he  reached  the  palace  of  the  seven 


The  Story  of  Mazin  of  Khorassan.    333 

sisters.  They  were  surprised  to  see  him,  and  said 
to  one  another,  "  There  must  be  some  urgent  cause 
for  his  returning  so  speedily." 

They  saluted  him,  and  inquired  after  his  affairs, 
upon  which  he  told  them  how  his  wife  had  deserted 
him,  after  advising  him  to  seek  her  in  the  islands 
of  Wauk-al-Wauk. 

But  they  replied,  "  This  expedition  is  impossible 
for  you  or  any  of  your  race  to  attempt ;  for  these 
islands  are  distant  a  hundred  and  fifty  years'  journey, 
so  that  you  cannot  live  to  reach  them." 

But  Mazin  exclaimed,  "  It  is  incumbent  upon  me 
to  make  the  attempt,  although  I  should  perish  on 
the  road.  If  God  has  decreed  my  reunion  with 
my  wife,  I  shall  meet  her  again  ;  but  if  not,  I 
shall  die,  and  be  received  into  the  mercy  of  the 
Almighty." 

The  sisters  did  not  cease  to  urge  him  to  abandon 
the  journey,  but  it  was  impossible  for  him  to  obey 
them,  or  to  remain  at  ease ;  upon  which  their  grief 
for  his  situation  increased.  They  knew  that  he 
could  never  traverse  the  distance  by  human  means, 
but  they  pitied  and  admired  his  ardent  love  for  his 
wife  and  children.  After  this,  they  consulted  with 
one  another  how  to  assist  him  on  the  journey. 
He  remained  with  them  a  month,  but  was  unable 
to  repose  or  to  take  pleasure  in  anything. 


334  New  Arabian  Nights. 

The  sisters  had  two  uncles,  one  named  Abd  al 
Kuddoos,  and  the  other  Abd  al  Sulleeb,  who  lived 
at  three  months'  journey  from  them,  and  to  them 
they  wrote  as  follows:  "The  bearer  of  this  letter 
is  our  friend  Mazin  of  Khorassan.  If  you  can 
direct  him  how  to  reach  the  islands  of  Wauk-al- 
Wauk,  assist  him ;  but  if  not,  prevent  him  from 
proceeding,  lest  he  plunge  himself  into  destruction. 
At  present  he  will  not  attend  to  our  advice  or 
reproofs,  from  excess  of  love  to  his  wife  and  chil 
dren  ;  but  through  you  he  may  finally  arrive  at 
safety  and  success." 

When  they  had  sealed  this  letter,  they  gave  it  to 
Mazin,  and  furnished  him  with  three  months'  store 
of  water  and  provisions  laden  upon  camels,  and  a 
steed  for  his  conveyance,  upon  which  he  took  leave 
of  them  with  many  thanks,  fully  resolved  to  pursue 
his  journey  to  the  islands  of  Wauk-al-Wauk. 

He  pursued  his  journey  with  much  pain  and 
difficulty,  taking  no  pleasure  whatever  in  rest  or 
refreshment  during  the  three  months  of  his  pilgrim 
age  At  length  he  reached  a  verdant  pasturage, 
covered  with  flowers,  where  flocks  of  sheep  and  herds 
of  cattle  were  feeding.  It  was  indeed  a  paradise 
upon  earth.  On  one  side  he  perceived  a  pleasant 
eminence,  where  buildings  were  erected,  to  which 
he  advanced,  and  entered  a  court  Here  he  beheld 


He  beheld  a  venerable-looking  old  man. 


335 


The  Story  of  Mazin  of  Khorassan.     337 

a  venerable-looking  old  man,  with  a  beard  flowing 
to  his  middle.  Mazin  saluted  the  sage,  who  returned 
his  compliments,  welcomed  him  with  respectful 
demeanour,  and  congratulated  him  on  his  arrival. 
He  seated  him,  and  laid  a  collation  before  him,  of 
which  they  both  partook. 

Mazin  lodged  with  him  that  night,  and  in  the 
morning  the  sage  inquired  who  he  was,  and  what 
had  brought  him  to  such  a  sequestered  spot. 

Mazin  informed  him ;  and,  behold,  the  sage  was 
Abd  al  Kuddoos,  who  when  he  heard  his  guest 
mention  particulars  of  his  brother's  children,  re 
doubled  his  attentions  to  him,  and  said :  "  Did 
they  give  you  any  letter  ?  " 

Mazin  replied,  "  Yes." 

He  eagerly  exclaimed,  "  Give  it  to  me." 

He  gave  it  him,  when  he  opened  it,  read  it  to 
himself,  and  considered  the  contents  word  by 
word. 

Abd  al  Kuddoos  gazed  earnestly  at  Mazin,  reflect 
ing  on  his  astonishing  adventures,  and  how  he  had 
plunged  himself  into  difficulty  and  danger  in  such 
a  wild  pursuit.  He  then  said  to  him, — 

"My  son,  my  advice  is  that  you  return  by  the 
way  you  came,  and  no  longer  vex  your  soul  on 
account  of  impossibilities,  for  you  cannot  accom 
plish  this  affair.  I  will  write  to  the  daughters  of  my 

30 


338  New  Arabian  Nights. 

brother  to  let  you  live  happily  with  them  ;  and  in 
time  you  will  regain  your  peace  of  mind.  There 
fore  return  to  them,  and  vex  yourself  no  further, 
for  between  this  spot  and  the  islands  of  Wauk-al- 
Wauk  is  the  distance  of  a  hundred  and  fifty  years' 
journey.  Besides,  there  are  great  perils  on  the  way, 
for  you  must  traverse  the  abodes  of  genii,  the 
haunts  of  wild  beasts  and  monstrous  serpents,  and 
long  districts  where  neither  food  nor  water  can  be 
procured.  Have  compassion  on  yourself,  my  son, 
and  do  not  rush  upon  destruction." 

Abd  al  Kuddoos  continued  to  dissuade  Mazin  from 
his  resolution  during  three  days,  but  he  would  not 
hear  advice  or  reproof.  On  the  third  day  Mazin 
prepared  to  depart,  being  sufficiently  refreshed,  upon 
which  the  old  man,  seeing  his  firmness,  arose  and 
kindled  a  fire.  He  cast  perfumes  into  it  and  uttered 
some  unintelligible  words,  upon  which  a  genius  forty 
cubits  in  height  suddenly  appeared  before  them.  He 
was  one  of  the  genii  who  were  subdued  by  our  lord 
Solomon,  and  he  muttered  and  growled  saying :  "  O 
my  master,  why  have  you  summoned  me  here  ? 
Shall  I  tear  up  this  hill  by  the  roots  and  hurl  it 
beyond  Mount  Kaf?" 

Abd  al  Kuddoos  replied  :  "  God  be  merciful  to  thee  ! 
I  need  your  aid,  and  request  you  to  accomplish  my 
bidding  in  one  day." 


1 


•a 


340 


The  Story  of  Mazin  of  Khorassan.     341 

Upon  this  the  genius  answered  :  "  To  hear  is  to 
obey." 

And  Abd  al  Kuddoos  continued  :  "  Take  up  this 
young  man  and  convey  him  to  my  brother,  Abd  al 
Sulleeb." 

He  consented,  although  the  distance  was  an 
ordinary  journey  of  seventy  years.  The  genius 
immediately  took  Mazin  up  and  soared  with  him 
through  the  air  from  morning  till  sunset,  when  he 
descended  before  Abd  al  Sulleeb,  paid  his  respects, 
and  informed  him  of  the  commands  of  his  brother 
Abd  al  Kuddoos.  The  sage  then  greeted  Mazin, 
who  gave  him  the  letter  from  the  daughters  of  his 
brother,  which  he  opened  and  read.  When  he  had 
considered  its  contents  he  was  astonished  at  the  ad 
ventures  of  Mazin,  his  arrival  with  him,  and  his 
resolve  to  penetrate  to  the  islands  of  Wauk-al-Wauk. 
But  he  said  :  "  My  son,  I  advise  that  you  should  no 
longer  vex  yourself  with  these  difficulties  and  dan 
gers,  for  you  can  never  attain  your  object,  or  reach 
these  islands." 

Mazin  now  began  to  despair,  and  when  he  thought 
of  his  wife  and  children  he  wept  till  he  fainted  ;  and 
when  Abd  al  Sulleeb  beheld  his  unhappy  condition 
he  pitied  him  from  his  heart.  He  perceived  that  he 
would  not  return  from  his  pursuit  or  listen  to  advice 
and  therefore  thought  it  best  to  assist  his  progress 


34 2  New  Arabian  Nights. 

towards  the  islands.  He  went  into  another  room 
and  kindled  a  fire,  over  which  he  sprinkled  perfumes 
and  uttered  incantations,  when  lo,  ten  genii  presented 
themselves  before  him,  and  said :  "  Inform  us,  O 
master,  of  what  you  desire,  and  we  will  bring  it  in 
an  instant." 

He  replied  :  "  May  God  be  gracious  to  you  !  "  and 
related  the  story  of  Mazin  and  his  wife  and  children. 

When  the  ten  genii  heard  the  narrative  they  ex 
claimed  :  "  This  affair  is  wonderful  and  miraculous  ; 
however,  we  will  take  him  with  us,  and  carry  him 
safely  over  the  mountains  and  deserts  to  the  bounds 
of  our  country  and  dominion,  and  leave  him  there. 
But  we  cannot  promise  him  further  assistance,  as  we 
dare  not  pass  a  step  beyond  our  own  territories,  for 
the  land  belongs  to  others.  In  it  are  innumerable 
horrors,  and  we  dread  the  inhabitants." 

When  Mazin  heard  this,  he  answered :  "  I  accept 
your  offer  with  gratitude." 

The  ten  genii  now  took  up  Mazin  and  soared  Math 
him  through  the  air  for  a  night  and  a  day,  till  they 
came  to  the  limits  of  their  territories,  and  set  him 
down  in  a  country  called  the  Land  of  Kafoor.  They 
then  took  leave  of  him  and  vanished  from  his  sight. 
He  walked  onwards  and  did  not  neglect  to  employ 
his  thoughts  in  prayer,  beseeching  God  to  preserve 
him,  and  to  grant  him  the  attainment  of  his  desires. 


The  Story  of  Mazin  of  Khorassan.     343 

Often  would  he  exclaim  :  "  O  God,  who  canst  deliver 
from  bondage,  and  guide  in  safety  over  mountains, 
who  feedest  the  wild  beasts  of  the  forest,  who  decreest 
life  and  death,  if  Thou  wilt,  Thou  canst  grant  me 
relief  from  all  my  distress  and  free  me  from  all  my 
sorrows." 

He  travelled  thus  for  ten  days,  and  on  the  tenth 
day  he  beheld  three  men  engaged  in  mortal 
combat,  each  endeavouring  to  kill  the  others.  He 
was  astonished  at  their  conduct,  but  advanced 
towards  them.  Upon  his  approach  they  ceased 
the  fight,  and  all  exclaimed  :  "  We  will  be  judged 
before  this  young  man,  and  whoever  contradicts  his 
opinion  shall  be  deemed  in  the  wrong."  To  this 
they  agreed,  and  coming  up  to  Mazin  demanded  of 
him  a  just  arbitration  in  their  dispute.  They  then 
showed  him  a  cap,  a  small  copper  drum,  and  a 
wooden  ball,  saying  :  "  We  are  three  brothers  by  the 
same  father  and  mother,  who  have  both  been  received 
into  the  mercy  of  God,  and  have  left  behind  them 
these  articles.  They  are  three  and  we  are  three  ;  but 
a  dispute  has  arisen  among  us  respecting  their  allot 
ment,  for  each  of  us  said  :  '  I  will  have  the  cap.' 
Our  contention  made  us  proceed  to  blows,  but  now 
we  desire  that  you  should  arbitrate  between  us,  and 
allot  an  article  to  each  as  you  shall  judge  best,  when 
we  will  rest  satisfied  with  your  decision  ;  but  should 


m 


344  New  Arabian  Nights. 

either  of  us  contradict  it,  he  shall  be  judged  an 
offender." 

When  Mazin  heard  this  he  was  surprised,  and  said 
to  himself:  "  These  articles  are  so  paltry  and  of  such 
trifling  value  as  not  to  be  worth  an  arbitration,  for 
surely  this  shabby  cap,  the  drum,  and  the  wooden 
ball,  cannot  be  worth  more  altogether  than  half  a 
dinar,  but  I  will  inquire  further  about  them."  He 
then  said  :  "  My  brethren,  wherein  lies  the  virtue  of 
these  three  articles  about  which  you  were  contending, 
for  they  appear  to  me  of  very  little  value." 

They  replied  :  "  Dear  uncle,  each  of  them  has  a 
property  worth  untold  treasures,  and  to  each  of  them 
belongs  a  tale  so  wonderful  that  if  you  were  to  write 
it  on  a  table  of  adamant  it  would  remain  an  example 
for  those  who  would  be  admonished." 

Mazin  then  requested  them  to  relate  to  him  the 
history  of  the  three  articles,  when  they  said  :  "  The 
eldest  brother  shall  first  deliver  an  account  of  the 
properties  of  one,  and  what  can  be  gained  from  them  ; 
and  we  will  not  conceal  anything  from  you." 

"  This  cap,"  said  the  eldest  brother,  "  is  called  the 
cap  of  invisibility,  and  whosoever  possesses  it  may 
become  sovereign  of  the  world.  When  he  puts  it  on 
he  may  enter  where  he  pleases,  for  neither  men  nor 
genii  can  perceive  him,  so  that  he  may  convey  away 
whatever  he  pleases  unseen  in  security.  He  may 


The  Story  of  Mazin  of  Khorassan.     345 

enter  the  cabinets  of  kings  and  statesmen,  and  hear 
all  their  conversation  respecting  political  intrigues. 
If  he  desires  wealth  he,  may  visit  the  royal  treasuries 
and  plunder  them  at  his  pleasure  ;  and  if  he  wishes  for 
revenge,  he  can  kill  his  enemy  without  being  detected. 
In  short,  he  can  act  as  he  pleases,  without  fear  of 
discovery." 

Upon  this,  Mazin  said  to  himself,  "  This  cap  is  not 
suitable  for  any  one  but  me,  to  whom  it  will  be 
most  advantageous  in  the  object  of  my  expedition. 
Perhaps  it  may  conduct  me  to  my  wife  and  children 
and  I  may  obtain  from  its  possession  all  that  I  wish. 
It  is  certainly  one  of  the  wonders  of  the  world  and 
rarities  of  the  age,  and  not  to  be  found  among  the 
riches  of  kings  at  the  present  day."  Having  con 
cluded  his  reflections  he  said  :  "  I  am  acquainted 
with  the  properties  of  the  cap,  but  what  are  those 
of  the  drum  ?  " 

The  second  brother  then  said,  "  If  any  one  who  has 
this  drum  in  his  possession  should  be  involved  in  a 
difficult  situation,  let  him  take  it  out  of  its  case  and 
beat  gently  with  the  sticks  upon  the  characters  en 
graven  on  the  copper,  when,  if  his  mind  be  collected 
and  his  courage  firm,  wonderful  things  will  appear  to 
him.  The  virtue  of  it  consists  in  the  words  inscribed 
upon  it,  which  were  written  by  our  Lord  Solomon, 
the  son  of  David,  in  talismanic  characters,  each  of 


346  New  Arabian  Nights. 

which  has  control  over  certain  princes  of  the  genii 
and  a  power  that  cannot  be  described  in  speech. 
Hence,  whoever  is  master  of  this  drum  may  become 
superior  to  all  the  monarchs  of  the  present  day  ;  for 
on  his  beating  it  in  the  manner  already  described, 
when  he  is  pressed  for  help,  all  the  princes  of  the 
genii,  with  their  sons  and  followers,  will  appear 
ready  to  obey  his  commands.  Whatever  he  may 
order  them  to  execute  they  will  perform,  by  virtue 
of  the  talisman  of  our  Lord  Solomon,  the  son  of 
David." 

When  Mazin  heard  this,  he  said  to  himself,  "  This 
drum  is  fitting  only  for  me,  and  I  have  much  more 
need  of  it  than  the  brothers.  It  will  protect  me 
from  all  evil  in  the  islands  of  Wauk-al-Wauk,  if  I 
should  reach  them,  and  meet  with  my  wife  and 
Children.  It  is  true  that  if  I  take  only  the  cap  I 
may  be  able  to  enter  all  places  ;  but  this  drum  will 
keep  injury  from  me,  and  with  it  I  shall  be  secure 
from  all  enemies."  He  then  said  :  "  I  have  been 
informed  of  the  virtues  of  the  cap  and  the  properties 
of  the  drum.  There  now  only  remains  the  account 
of  the  wooden  ball,  that  I  may  give  judgment  be 
tween  you,  therefore  let  the  third  brother  speak." 

The  third  brother  answered  :  "  To  hear  is  to  obey. 
My  dear  uncle,  whoever  possesses  this  ball  will  find 
in  it  wonderful  properties  ;  for  it  brings  distant  parts 


The  Story  of  Mazin  of  Khorassan.     347 

near,  and  makes  near  distant ;  it  shortens  long 
journeys,  and  lengthens  short  ones.  If  any  person 
wish  to  perform  a  journey  of  two  hundred  years  in 
two  days,  let  him  take  it  from  its  case,  lay  it  upon 
the  ground,  and  mention  to  what  place  he  desires  to 
go.  It  will  instantly  be  in  motion,  and  rush  over  the 
earth  like  the  blast  of  the  stormy  gale.  He  must  then 
follow  it  till  he  arrives  at  the  place  desired,  which  he 
will  have  the  power  to  do  with  ease." 

When  the  youth  had  concluded  his  description  of 
the  virtues  of  the  wooden  ball,  Mazin  resolved  within 
himself  to  take  this  also  from  the  brothers,  and  said  : 
"  If  you  wish  me  to  arbitrate  between  you,  I  must 
first  prove  the  virtues  of  these  three  articles,  and 
afterwards  let  each  take  that  which  may  fall  to  him 
by  my  decision." 

The  three  brothers  exclaimed  :  "  We  have  heard 
and  we  consent.  Act  as  you  think  best,  and  may 
God  protect  you  in  your  undertakings." 

Mazin  then  put  on  the  cap,  placed  the  drum  under 
his  vestband,  took  up  the  ball  and  placed  it  on  the 
ground,  when  it  sped  before  him  as  quickly  as  the 
gale.  He  followed  it  till  it  came  to  the  gate  of  a 
building  which  it  entered,  and  Mazin  also  went  in 
with  it. 

The  brothers  ran  till  they  were  tired,  and  cried 
out,  "  You  have  sufficiently  tried  them!"  but  in  vain, 


348  New  Arabian  Nights. 

for  by  this  time  there  was  the  distance  of  ten  years' 
journey  between  him  and  them. 

Mazin  now  rested,  took  the  drum  in  his  hands,  and 
rubbed  his  lingers  over  the  talismanic  characters, 
hesitating  whether  he  should  strike  them  with  the 
sticks.  Then  he  taboured  lightly  upon  them,  when, 
lo !  a  voice  exclaimed  :  "  Mazin,  you  have  gained 
your  desires.  Nevertheless  you  will  not  arrive  at 
your  object  without  much  trouble  ;  but  take  care  of 
the  ball  in  this  spot,  for  you  are  at  present  in  the 
land  of  evil  genii." 

Upon  this  Mazin  took  up  the  ball  and  concealed  it 
in  his  clothes  ;  but  he  was  overcome  with  astonish 
ment  at  hearing  words  without  seeing  the  speaker, 
and  exclaimed  :  "  Who  art  thou,  my  lord  ?" 

"  I  am,"  replied  the  voice,  "  one  of  the  slaves  of 
the  characters  which  you  see  engraved  upon  the 
drum,  and  am  constantly  in  attendance ;  but  the 
other  servants  will  not  appear  unless  the  drum  is 
beaten  loudly,  when  three  hundred  and  sixty  chiefs 
will  attend  your  commands,  each  of  whom  has  under 
his  authority  ten  thousand  genii,  and  every  individual 
of  them  numerous  followers." 

Mazin  now  inquired  the  distance  of  the  islands  of 
Wauk-al-Wauk,  to  which  the  voice  replied,  "  Three 
years'  journey."  Upon  this  he  struck  the  ball  before 
him,  and  followed  it  till  he  arrived  in  a  region 


The  Story  of  Mazin  of  Khorassan.     349 

infested  by  serpents,  dragons,  and  ravenous  beasts; 
and  here,  too,  there  were  mines  of  copper  in  the 
mountains.  He  now  taboured  gently  on  the  drum, 
and  the  voice  replied  :  "  I  am  ready  to  obey  your 
commands." 

"Inform  me,"  said  Mazin,  "what  is  the  name  of 
this  country  ?  " 

The  voice  replied  :  "  It  is  called  the  land  of  dra 
gons  and  ravenous  animals.  Be  careful  here,  and 
make  no  delay,  nor  regard  fatigue ;  for  these  moun 
tains  are  not  to  be  passed  without  a  chance  of  trouble 
from  the  inhabitants,  who  are  genii  ;  and  the  caves 
harbour  furious  wild  beasts." 

Upon  this  he  struck  the  ball  afresh,  and  followed 
it  unceasingly,  until  at  length  he  reached  the  sea 
shore  and  perceived  the  islands  of  Wauk-al-Wauk 
at  a  distance,  and  their  mountains  appeared  of  a 
fiery  red,  like  the  sky  gilded  by  the  beams  of  the 
setting  sun.  When  he  beheld  them  he  was  struck 
with  awe  and  dread,  but  recovering,  he  said  to  him 
self,  "  Why  should  I  be  afraid  ?  Since  God  has 
conducted  me  hither,  He  will  protect  me  now  ;  or  if 
I  die,  I  shall  be  relieved  from  my  troubles,  and  be 
received  into  the  mercy  of  God."  He  then  gathered 
some  fruit,  which  he  ate,  drank  some  water,  and, 
having  performed  his  ablutions,  laid  himself  down  to 
sleep,  and  did  not  awake  till  morning. 

31 


350  New  Arabian  Nights. 

In  the  morning  Mazin  tapped  gently  upon  the  drum, 
when  the  voice  inquired  his  commands.  "  How  am  I 
to  pass  the  sea  and  enter  the  islands  ?"  he  inquired. 

"  That  is  not  to  be  done,"  replied  the  voice,  "  with 
out  the  assistance  of  a  sage  who  resides  in  a  cell  on 
yonder  mountain.  It  is  a  day's  journey,  but  the  ball 
will  conduct  you  there  in  half  an  hour.  When  you 
reach  his  abode  knock  gently  at  the  door,  when  he 
will  appear  and  inquire  whence  you  came  and  what 
you  want.  When  you  enter  he  will  receive  you 
kindly,  and  desire  you  to  relate  your  adventures 
from  beginning  to  end.  Conceal  nothing  from  him 
for  he  alone  can  assist  you  to  pass  the  sea." 

Mazin  then  struck  the  ball,  and  followed  it  till  he 
arrived  at  the  abode  of  the  hermit.  He  found  the 
gate  locked,  and  when  he  knocked  a  voice  from 
within  replied  :  "  Who  is  at  the  gate  ?" 

"A  guest,"  replied  Mazin  ;  upon  which  the  sage 
arose,  opened  the  door,  and  admitted  him.  He  en 
tertained  him  kindly  for  a  whole  night  and  day,  after 
which  Mazin  ventured  to  inquire  how  he  could  pass 
the  sea. 

The  sage  replied :  "  What  occasions  you  to  seek 
such  an  object?" 

"  My  lord,"  answered  Mazin,  "  I  desire  to  enter  the 
islands,  and  have  travelled  far  from  my  own  country 
for  that  purpose." 


The  Story  of  Mazin  of  Khorassan.     3  5 1 

When  the  sage  heard  this  he  stood  up  before  him, 
opened  a  book,  and  read  it  to  himself  for  some  time, 
every  now  and  then  casting  a  look  of  astonishment 
upon  Mazin.  At  length  he  raised  his  head  and  ex 
claimed  :  "  Heavens,  what  troubles,  disasters,  and 
afflictions  in  exile  have  been  decreed  to  this  youth 
in  search  of  his  object !" 

Upon  this  Mazin  asked :  "  Wherefore,  my  lord,  did 
you  look  at  the  book  and  then  at  me  so  earnestly  ? " 

The  sage  replied  :  "  My  son,  I  will  instruct  you 
how  to  reach  the  islands,  since  such  is  your  desire  ; 
but  you  will  not  obtain  your  object  till  after  much 
labour  and  inconvenience.  However,  at  present  re 
late  to  me  your  adventures  from  first  to  last." 

"My  lord,"  returned  Mazin,  "my  story  is  so  sur 
prising,  that  if  it  were  engraved  on  tablets  of  adamant 
it  would  be  an  example  for  those  who  would  take 
warning." 

When  he  had  related  his  story  from  beginning  to 
end,  the  sage  exclaimed :  "  God  willing,  you  will 
attain  your  wishes  "  ;  upon  which  Mazin  inq  aired 
respecting  the  sea  surrounding  the  islands,  and  how 
he  could  overcome  such  an  impediment  to  his  pro 
gress.  The  sage  then  said  :  "  By  God's  permission, 
we  will  repair  to  the  mountains  in  the  morning,  and 
I  will  show  you  the  wonders  of  the  seas." 

When  God  permitted  morning  to  dawn,  the  hermit 


352  New  Arabian  Nights. 

arose,  taking  Mazin  with  him,  and  they  ascended 
the  mountains  till  they  reached  a  structure  resem 
bling  a  fortress,  which  they  entered,  and  proceeded 
to  the  inmost  court,  in  which  stood  an  enormous 
brazen  statue,  hollowed  into  pipes,  and  having  in 
the  midst  of  it  a  reservoir  lined  with  marble,  the 
work  of  magicians.  When  Mazin  beheld  this,  he 
was  astonished,  and  began  to  tremble  with  fear  at 
the  vastness  of  the  statue,  and  at  the  idea  of  the 
miraculous  powers  it  might  contain.  The  hermit 
now  kindled  a  fire,  threw  some  perfumes  into  it,  and 
muttered  some  unintelligible  words,  when  suddenly 
dark  clouds  arose,  whence  issued  violent  gusts  of 
wind,  lightning,  thunder,  groans,  and  frightful  noises, 
and  in  the  midst  of  the  reservoir  appeared  boiling 
waves,  for  it  was  near  the  ocean  surrounding  the 
islands.  The  hermit  did  not  cease  to  utter  his 
incantations  until  the  hurricane  and  noises  had 
subsided  by  his  authority,  for  he  was  more  powerful 
than  any  of  the  magicians,  and  had  power  over  the 
rebellious  genii,  He  now  said  to  Mazin,  "Go  out, 
and  look  towards  the  ocean  surrounding  the  islands." 
Mazin  repaired  to  the  summit  of  the  mountain, 
and  looked  towards  the  sea,  but  could  not  distinguish 
the  smallest  trace  of  its  existence  ;  upon  which  he 
was  astonished  at  the  miraculous  power  of  the 
hermit.  He  returned  to  him,  exclaiming,  "  I  can 


The  Story  of  Mazin  of  Khorassan.     353 

behold  no  remains  of  the  ocean,  and  the  islands 
appear  joined  to  the  mainland  ;  "  when  the  sage  said, 
"  My  son,  put  thy  reliance  on  God,  and  pursue  thy 
journey,"  after  which  he  vanished  from  sight. 

Mazin  now  advanced  boldly  towards  the  islands, 
and  did  not  stop  until  he  reached  a  verdant 
spot,  watered  by  clear  rivulets,  and  shaded  by  lofty 
trees.  It  was  now  sunrise,  and  among  the  wonders 
which  he  beheld  was  a  tree  like  the  weeping  willow, 
on  which  hung  beautiful  damsels  instead  of  fruit, 
who  exclaimed  :  "  Praise  to  God  our  Creator,  who 
has  formed  the  islands  of  Wauk-al-Wauk."  They 
then  dropped  from  the  tree  and  expired. 

At  sight  of  this  prodigy  his  senses  were  con 
founded,  and  he  exclaimed,  "By  heavens,  this  is 
miraculously  surprising  ! " 

When  he  had  recovered  himself,  he  wandered 
through  the  groves,  and  admired  the  creations  of 
the  Almighty  till  sunset,  when  he  sat  down  to  rest. 

He  had  not  rested  long  before  a  masculine-look 
ing  old  woman  of  disagreeable  appearance  drew 
near  him ;  and  perceiving  that  he  was  alarmed 
at  her  approach,  reassured  him,  saying,  "  What  is 
your  name,  and  what  do  you  desire ;  do  you  belong 
to  this  country  ?  Tell  me  truly,  and  fear  nothing, 
for  I  will  pray  to  God  that  I  may  be  the  means 
of  forwarding  your  wishes." 


354  New  Arabian  Nights. 

On  hearing  these  words,  the  heart  of  Mazin  was 
encouraged,  and  he  related  to  her  his  adventures 
from  first  to  last. 

When  she  had  heard  his  story,  she  knew  that 
he  must  be  the  husband  of  the  sister  of  her  mistress, 
who  was  queen  of  the  islands  of  Wauk-al-Wauk  ; 
and  she  said,  "  Your  object  is  a  difficult  one,  but  I 
will  assist  you  to  the  utmost  of  my  power." 

The  old  woman  now  conducted  Mazin  through 
bye  paths  to  the  capital  of  the  island  ;  and  during 
the  darkness  of  night,  when  the  inhabitants  had 
ceased  to  pass  through  the  streets,  she  led  him  to 
her  own  house.  She  then  offered  him  refreshments, 
and  he  ate  and  drank  with  fresh  appetite,  and 
praised  God  for  his  safe  arrival.  The  old  woman 
then  informed  Mazin  that  his  wife  had  endured 
great  troubles  and  afflictions  since  her  separation, 
and  repented  sincerely  of  her  flight. 

When  Mazin  heard  this,  he  wept  bitterly,  and 
fainted  with  anguish.  The  old  woman  revived  him 
by  her  exertions ;  and  after  comforting  him  with 
promises  of  the  speedy  attainment  of  his  wishes, 
she  left  him  to  repose. 

Next  morning  the  old  woman,  desiring  Mazin  to 
wait  patiently  for  her  return,  repaired  to  the 
palace,  where  she  found  the  queen  and  her  sisters 
in  consultation  respecting  the  wife  of  Mazin,  and 


The  Story  of  Mazin  of  Khorassan.    355 

saying,  "  This  wretch  has  married  a  man,  instead 
of  a  prince  of  her  own  race ;  but  now  she  has 
returned  with  her  children,  we  will  put  her  to 
death  after  various  tortures." 

When  the  old  lady  entered  they  rose,  saluted 
her  with  great  respect,  and  seated  her,  for  she  had 
been  their  nurse.  When  she  had  rested  a  little, 
she  said,  "  Were  you  not  conversing  about  your 
unfortunate  sister?  But  can  you  reverse  the  decrees 
of  God?" 

"Dear  nurse,"  replied  they,  "no  one  can  avoid 
the  will  of  Heaven  ;  and  had  she  married  one  of 
our  own  nature,  there  would  have  been  no  disgrace ; 
but  she  has  married  a  human  being,  by  whom  she 
has  had  children,  and  all  our  race  will  reproach 
and  despise  us  on  her  account.  Her  death  is  there 
fore  unavoidable." 

The  nurse  rejoined,  "  If  you  put  her  to  death, 
your  offence  will  be  greater  than  hers,  for  she  was 
wedded  lawfully  ;  but  I  wish  to  see  her." 

The  eldest  sister  answered,  "  She  is  now  confined 
in  a  subterranean  dungeon  ; "  upon  which  the  nurse 
again  asked  leave  to  see  her,  which  was  granted, 
and  one  of  the  sisters  conducted  her  to  the  prison 

The  nurse  found  the  wife  of  Mazin  in  great 
distress  from  the  cruelty  of  her  sisters.  The  children 
were  playing  round  her,  but  very  pallid  from  the 


356  New  Arabian  Nights. 

closeness  of  their  confinement.  As  the  nurse  entered, 
she  stood  up,  made  her  obeisance,  and  began  to 
weep,  saying,  "My  dear  nurse,  I  have  been  long 
in  this  dungeon,  and  know  not  what  may  be  my 
fate  at  last." 

The  old  woman  kissed  her  cheeks,  and  said, 
"  My  dear  daughter,  God  will  send  you  relief,  per 
chance  this  very  day." 

When  the  wife  of  Mazin  heard  this,  she  said, 
"  Good  heavens,  my  dear  nurse,  your  words  recall 
a  gleam  of  comfort  which  last  night  came  into  my 
mind  from  a  voice  which  said  :  '  Be  comforted,  oh 
wife  of  Mazin,  for  help  is  near.' " 

Upon  this,  the  old  woman  replied :  "  Comfort 
indeed  awaits  you,  for  your  husband  is  at  my 
house,  and  will  speedily  release  you." 

The  unfortunate  prisoner  fainted  with  joy-,  but 
was  soon  revived  by  the  nurse  sprinkling  water  in 
her  face,  when  she  said :  "  I  conjure  you  by  heaven, 
my  dear  nurse,  to  tell  me  whether  you  speak  the 
truth,  or  whether  you  are  dissembling." 

"  I  not  only  speak  truth,"  answered  the  nurse 
but  with  God's  help  you  shall  meet  your  husband 
this  day." 

After  this  she  left  her  and  returned  home,  when 
she  asked  Mazin  if  he  was  able  to  take  his  wife  away, 
provided  he  was  admitted  into  the  dungeon  at  night. 


The  Story  of  Mazin  of  Khorassan.    357 

He  replied  "  Yes."  When  night  set  in  she  conducted 
him  to  the  spot  where  his  wife  was  imprisoned, 
and  left  him  near  the  gate  alone.  He  then  put  on 
his  cap  of  invisibility  and  remained  there  all  night 
unperceived  by  any  one.  Early  in  the  morning  the 
queen,  his  wife's  eldest  sister,  came  and  opened  the 
gate  of  the  prison  and  entered,  when  Mazin  followed 
unseen  behind  her,  and  seated  himself  in  a  corner  of 
the  apartment.  The  queen  went  up  to  her  sister  and 
beat  her  cruelly  with  a  whip  till  she  was  covered 
with  blood,  while  the  children  wept  around  her.  At 
last  she  went  out,  leaving  her  hanging  by  her  hair 
from  a  pillar,  and  locked  the  door  of  the  dungeon. 
Mazin  now  arose,  unloosed  his  wife's  hair,  and  pulling 
off  the  cap  appeared  before  her,  when  she  exclaimed : 
"  From  whence  did  you  come  ?  " 

They  fell  into  each  other's  arms,  and  he  said : 
"  Ah,  why  did  you  act  thus,  and  leave  me  in  such 
affliction,  and  plunge  yourself  into  such  distress, 
which,  indeed,  your  conduct  almost  deserved  ?  " 

"  It  is  true,"  replied  she  ;  "  but  what  is  past  is  past, 
and  reproach  will  not  avail  unless  you  can  effect  our 
escape." 

Upon  this  he  asked  :  "  Does  your  inclination  really 
lead  you  to  accompany  me  to  my  own  country  ?  " 

And  she  replied  :  "  Yes,  deal  with  me  as  you  think 
best" 


358  New  Arabian  Nights. 

They  remained  conversing  until  evening,  when  the 
keeper  of  the  prison  approached,  and  Mazin  put  on 
his  cap  of  invisibility.  The  keeper,  who  had  brought 
provisions  for  the  night,  retired  into  a  recess  of 
the  dungeon  and  fell  asleep,  when  Mazin  and  his 
family  sat  down  and  refreshed  themselves.  Mazin 
then  tried  the  door  and  found  it  unlocked,  upon 
which  he  and  his  wife  and  children  left  the  prison 
and  travelled  as  quickly  as  possible  all  night.  When 
the  queen  was  informed  of  her  sister's  escape  in  the 
morning,  she  was  enraged,  and  summoned  an  army 
of  seven  thousand  genii,  with  whom  she  marched  out, 
resolved  to  cut  the  fugitives  to  pieces. 

Mazin,  looking  behind  him,  perceived  a  cloud  of 
dust,  from  whence  emerged  the  forces  of  his  wife's 
sister,  crying  out  with  terrible  voices  :  "  Whither  will 
ye  fly,  ye  wretches?  Where  can  you  hide  your 
selves  ?  " 

Upon  this  Mazin  took  out  his  drum  and  beat  it 
violently,  when  lo,  there  appeared  before  him  count 
less  legions  of  genii,  who  fought  with  the  armies  of 
the  queen,  who  was  taken  prisoner  with  her  principal 
attendants. 

When  the  wife  of  Mazin  beheld  her  sister  in  this 
distress,  her  compassion  was  moved  towards  her,  and 
she  said  to  her  husband  :  4<  Hurt  not  my  sister,  nor 
use  her  ill,  for  she  is  older  than  I ; "  upon  which  he 


Mazin  perceived  a  cloud  of  dust,  from  whence  emerged  the  forces  of 
his  wife's  sister. 


The  Story  of  Mazin  of  Khorassan.     361 

treated  her  respectfully,  and  commanded  tents  to  be 
pitched  for  her  and  her  court. 

Peace  being  established,  the  sisters  took  an  affec 
tionate  leave ;  and  Mazin,  with  his  family,  departed 
for  the  residence  of  Abd  al  Sulleeb,  which  they 
speedily  reached  with  the  assistance  of  the  genii, 
and  the  directing  ball.  The  old  man  received  him 
kindly  and  inquired  his  adventures.  When  he  related 
them  to  him,  he  was  surprised,  especially  at  the 
account  of  the  cap,  the  drum,  and  the  ball,  of  which 
last  Mazin  begged  his  acceptance,  as  he  was  now 
near  home  and  had  no  further  occasion  for  its  use. 
Abd  al  Sulleeb  was  much  pleased,  and  entertained 
him  magnificently  for  three  days,  after  which  Mazin 
wished  to  depart,  when  the  old  man  presented  him 
with  rich  gifts,  and  took  leave  of  him. 

Mazin  was  continuing  his  journey,  when  suddenly 
a  company  of  a  hundred  banditti  advanced  towards 
him  with  the  intention  of  putting  him  and  his 
companions  to  death  and  plundering  the  caravan. 
Mazin  cried  out  to  them  :  "  Brother  Arabs,  let  the 
covenant  of  God  be  between  you  and  me,  and  keep 
at  a  distance  from  me." 

When  they  heard  this  they  increased  their 
insolence,  and  surrounded  him,  supposing  they  could 
easily  seize  all  that  he  had,  and  they  said  one  to 
another :  "  Let  us  put  him  to  death  and  not  suffer 
him  to  live." 

32 


362  New  Arabian  Nights. 

When  Mazin  saw  that  they  were  bent  upon  attack 
ing  him,  he  took  out  the  drum  and  beat  it  gently,  when 
behold  ten  genii  appeared  before  him,  and  inquired 
his  commands.  He  replied  :  "  I  desire  the  dispersal 
of  yonder  horsemen."  Upon  which  one  of  the  ten 
advanced  among  the  hundred  banditti  and  uttered 
such  a  tremendous  yell  that  the  mountains  re-echoed 
the  sound.  The  banditti  were  instantly  struck  with 
terror,  and  fled  among  the  rocks,  while  such  as  fell 
from  their  horses'  backs  escaped  on  foot,  so  that  they 
lost  their  reputation,  and  were  ridiculed  among  the 
chiefs  of  the  Abbasside  tribes.  Mazin  now  pursued 
his  journey,  and  did  not  halt  until  he  reached  the 
abode  of  Abd  al  Kuddoos,  who  advanced  to  meet  him, 
and  saluted  him,  but  was  astonished  when  he  beheld 
his  company  and  the  wealth  he  had  attained.  Mazin 
related  the  dangers  that  had  befallen  him,  and  his 
sufferings  from  hunger  and  thirst,  his  safe  arrival  in 
the  islands  of  Wauk-al-Wauk,  the  deliverance  of  his 
wife  from  prison,  and  the  defeat  of  the  army  sent  to 
oppose  his  return.  He  mentioned  also  the  reconcilia 
tion  between  his  wife  and  her  sister,  and  all  that  had 
happened  to  him  from  first  to  last. 

Abd  al  Kuddocs  was  greatly  astonished  at  his 
adventures,  and  said  to  Mazin  :  "  Truly,  my  son, 
these  events  are  most  surprising,  and  can  never  have 
occurred  to  any  one  else." 


The  Story  of  Mazin  of  Khorassan.     363 

Mazin  rested  there  for  three  days,  and  was  treated 
with  hospitality  and  respect  until  the  fourth,  when  he 
resolved  to  continue  his  journey,  and  took  his  leave. 
He  proceeded  towards  his  own  country,  and  did  not 
halt  on  the  way  until  he  arrived  at  the  palace  of  the 
seven  sisters,  who  had  so  much  befriended  him. 

When  Mazin  drew  near,  the  sisters  came  out  to 
meet  him,  and  saluted  him  and  his  wife,  and  con 
ducted  them  to  the  palace  ;  but  they  were  astonished 
at  his  return,  and  at  first  could  hardly  believe  that  he 
had  succeeded,  wondering  that  he  had  not  perished 
on  the  road  or  been  torn  in  pieces  by  the  wild  beasts 
of  the  desert,  for  they  had  regarded  it  as  impossible 
that  he  should  ever  reach  the  islands  of  Wauk-al- 
Wauk. 

When  they  were  seated  and  had  heard  his  extra 
ordinary  adventures,  they  were  even  more  astonished  ; 
after  which  refreshments  were  brought  in  and  they 
all  ate  together.  They  then  wrote  a  letter  and  des 
patched  it  to  the  mother  of  Mazin,  congratulating 
her  on  the  health  of  her  son,  and  his  safe  return 
with  his  wife  and  children. 

Mazin  remained  with  the  sisters  a  month,  enjoying 
himself  in  feasting  and  amusements  ;  after  which  he 
begged  permission  to  depart  to  his  own  country,  for 
he  was  anxious  about  his  mother.  They  took  leave 
of  him  and  he  travelled  unceasingly  till  he  arrived 


364  New  Arabian  Nights. 

at  Bagdad.  He  entered  the  city  at  sunset  and 
proceeded  to  his  own  house,  when  his  mother  came 
out  and  saluted  and  embraced  him.  She  had  erected 
her  tomb  in  the  court  of  the  house,  and  wept  night 
and  day  till  she  became  blind  ;  but  when  the  letter 
arrived  from  the  sisters  her  sight  returned  to  her 
again  from  the  rapture  of  her  joy.  She  beheld  the 
children  of  her  son  and  embraced  them,  and  that 
night  was  as  a  holy  festival  to  her. 

When  God  caused  the  morning  to  dawn,  the  chief 
personages  of  the  city  visited  Mazin  to  congratulate 
him  on  his  return,  and  the  principal  ladies  came  to 
visit  his  mother,  and  rejoiced  with  her  on  the  safety 
of  her  son.  At  length  the  news  reached  the  Caliph 
Haroun  al  Rashid,  who  summoned  Mazin  to  his 
presence.  Having  entered  the  hall  of  audience,  he 
made  his  obeisance,  when  the  Caliph  returned  his 
salute  and  commanded  him  to  sit  down.  When  he 
was  seated,  the  Caliph  demanded  that  he  should 
inform  him  of  all  that  had  befallen  him,  to  which  he 
answered  :  "  To  hear  is  to  obey." 

Mazin  then  related  how  he  had  been  decoyed  away 
from  home  by  the  fire-worshipper,  the  mode  of  his 
coming  to  the  palace  of  the  seven  sisters,  the  rnanner 
in  which  he  had  entrapped  his  wife,  her  flight  from 
the  palace  of  the  Sultana  Zobeide,  his  journey  to 
the  islands  of  Wauk-al-Wauk,  and  the  dangers 


The  Story  of  Mazin  of  Khorassan.    365 

and    difficulties   which   he   had   encountered  on    the 
way. 

The  Caliph  was  astonished,  and  said:  "The  sub 
stance  of  these  adventures  must  not  be  lost  or 
concealed,  but  must  be  recorded  in  writing."  He 
then  sent  for  an  amanuensis,  and  seated  Mazin  by 
him  until  he  had  taken  down  his  adventures  from 
beginning  to  end. 


ABU    NEUT    AND    ABU    NEUTEEN. 


PERSON  named  Abu  Neut  (or  the  well- 
intentioned),  being  much  distressed  in  his 
own  country,  resolved  to  seek  a  better 
livelihood  in  another.  Accordingly  he  took 
with  him  a  single  piastre,  which  was  all  that 
he  possessed,  and  began  his  journey.  He  had  not 
travelled  far  when  a  man  overtook  him,  whose  name 
was  Abu  Neuteen  (or  the  double-minded).  They 
entered  into  conversation,  and  as  they  were  both 
seeking  to  improve  their  fortunes,  they  agreed  to 
travel  together  ;  and  it  was  settled  that  Abu  Neut 
should  be  the  bearer  of  the  common  stock.  The 
other  possessed  ten  piastres. 

After  some  days'  toilsome  journey,  they  reached 
a  city  ;  and  when  they  entered,  a  beggar  cried  out, 
"  Worthy  believers,  disburse  your  alms,  and  you 
shall  be  rewarded  tenfold."  Upon  this,  Abu  Neut 
gave  him  a  piastre  ;  but  his  companion,  enraged  at 
what  he  considered  prodigality,  demanded  back  his 


Abu  Neut  and  Abie  Neuteen.          367 

money,  which  was  given  him,  when  he  marched  off, 
leaving  his  new  friend  penniless.  Abu  Neut,  resigned 
to  his  fate,  and  relying  on  Providence,  proceeded 
to  a  mosque  to  pay  his  devotions,  hoping  to  meet 
with  some  charitable  person  who  would  relieve  his 
necessities.  But  he  was  mistaken,  for  although  he 
remained  in  the  mosque  for  a  night  and  a  day,  no 
one  offered  him  charity.  At  length  he  stole  out  in 
the  dusk  of  evening,  and  wandered  through  the 
streets  fainting  with  hunger.  Presently  he  perceived 
a  servant  throwing  fragments  from  an  eating-cloth, 
when  he  advanced,  gathered  them  up,  and  sat  down 
in  a  corner,  where  he  gnawed  the  bones  and  broken 
fragments  with  eagerness,  after  which  he  raised  his 
eyes  to  heaven,  and  thanked  God  for  his  scanty 
meal.  The  servant,  who  had  watched  his  proceed 
ings,  was  surprised  and  affected  at  his  wretched 
condition  and  his  devotion.  He  informed  his 
master,  who  being  a  charitable  man,  took  ten  piastres 
from  his  purse,  and  ordered  the  servant  to  give  them 
to  Abu  Neut. 

The  avaricious  servant  retained  one  piastre  as  his 
perquisite,  and  delivered  the  rest  to  Abu  Neut,  who 
counted  the  money,  and  thanked  God  for  his  bounty, 
but  said  that,  agreeably  to  the  scriptural  declaration, 
he  ought  to  have  had  tenfold  for  the  piastre  which 
he  had  given  to  the  beggar.  The  master  of  the 


368  New  Arabian  Nights. 

servant,  overhearing  this,  called  Abu  Neut  upstairs 
and  having  seated  him,  inquired  his  story,  which  he 
faithfully  related  to  his  host,  who  was  a  merchant, 
and  was  so  much  pleased  with  his  pious  simplicity, 
that  he  resolved  to  befriend  him,  and  desired  him 
to  abide  in  his  house  for  the  present. 

After  Abu  Neut  had  resided  with  his  new  friend 
for  some  days,  the  merchant,  who  was  punctual  in 
discharging  the  duties  of  religion,  examined  his 
stock,  and  set  apart  the  tenth  of  it  in  kind,  which 
he  bestowed  upon  his  guest,  advising  him  to  open 
a  shop,  and  try  his  fortune  in  trade.  Abu  Neut  did 
so,  and  was  so  successful  that  in  a  few  years  he 
became  one  of  the  richest  merchants  in  the  place. 

One  day,  as  he  was  sitting  in  his  warehouse,  he 
caught  sight  of  his  old  companion,  Abu  Neuteen,  in 
the  street.  He  was  lean,  clothed  in  rags,  and  his  eyes 
were  sunken  and  dim,  and  he  was  begging  alms  of 
the  passengers  with  the  importunate  cry  of  distress. 
Abu  Neut,  compassionating  his  miserable  situation, 
sent  a  servant  to  call  him,  and  on  his  arrival  he 
saluted  him,  and  sent  for  refreshments  to  relieve  his 
immediate  want.  He  then  invited  him  to  spend  the 
night  at  his  house ;  and  in  the  evening  he  shut  up 
his  warehouse  and  conducted  him  home,  where  a 
bath  was  made  warm  for  him  ;  and  when  he  had 
bathed,  he  was  presented  with  a  change  of  hand- 


A  bath  was  made  warm  for  him. 


369 


Abu  Neut  and  Abu  Neuteen.         371 

some  apparel.  Supper  was  served,  and  when  they 
had  eaten  till  they  were  satisfied,  they  conversed 
on  various  subjects.  At  length  Abu  Neut  exclaimed, 
"  Do  you  not  recollect  me,  my  brother  ?  " 

"  No,  by  Allah,  most  liberal  host,"  replied  the  other ; 
"  who  are  you  ?  " 

"I  was  your  travelling  companion  at  such  a 
period,"  answered  Abu  Neut ;  "  but  my  disposition 
is  still  unchanged,  and  I  have  not  forgotten  our  old 
connection.  Half  of  what  I  possess  is  yours." 

Having  said  this,  Abu  Neut  balanced  his  accounts, 
and  gave  half  his  property  to  his  distressed  fellow- 
traveller,  who  stocked  a  warehouse,  and  traded  for 
himself  with  good  success.  The  two  friends  lived 
near  each  other  for  some  time  in  good  repute,  when 
Abu  Neuteen  became  restless,  and  requested  Abu 
Neut  to  quit  their  present  abode,  and  travel  for 
recreation  and  profit. 

"  My  dear  friend,"  replied  Abu  Neut,  "  why  should 
we  travel  ?  Have  we  not  ease  and  affluence  here,  and 
what  more  can  we  enjoy  in  any  part  of  the  world  ?  " 

But  his  remonstrances  had  no  effect  on  Abu 
Neuteen,  who  became  so  importunate  that  at  length 
his  kind  friend  yielded  to  his  whim.  So  they  prepared 
a  caravan,  loaded  an  ample  stock  of  merchandise 
on  mules  and  camels,  and  departed  for  the  city  of 
Mosul. 


372  New  Arabian  Nights. 


After  travelling  for  ten  days,  they  encamped  one 
evening  near  a  deep  well.  In  the  morning,  Abu 
Neut  was  let  down  into  the  well  by  his  own  desire, 
in  order  to  fill  the  water-bags  more  easily  for  the 
use  of  the  men  and  animals  belonging  to  the  caravan, 
little  suspecting  what  Providence  had  decreed  to 
befall  him  ;  for  his  ungrateful  friend,  who  envied  his 
prosperity  and  coveted  his  wealth,  loaded  the  beasts, 
cut  the  rope  at  the  top  of  the  well,  and  departed, 
leaving  him  to  his  fate. 

Abu  Neut  remained  all  day  without  food,  but 
humbly  putting  his  trust  in  Allah  for  deliverance. 
About  the  middle  of  the  following  night,  he  over 
heard  two  afreets  conversing  with  each  other,  when 
one  said :  "  I  am  now  perfectly  happy,  for  at  length 
I  have  possessed  the  beautiful  Princess  of  Mosul  ; 
and  no  one  can  drive  me  away,  unless  by  sprinkling 
the  infusion  of  wormwood  under  her  feet  on  a 
Friday,  during  Divine  service  in  the  great  mosque ; 
a  form  of  exorcism  which  will  hardly  be  found  out." 

"  I  have  been  as  fortunate  as  yourself,"  replied  the 
other  afreet,  "  for  I  am  in  possession  of  such  a 
hidden  treasure  of  gold  and  jewels  under  the  mound 
near  Mosul  that  the  amount  cannot  be  computed. 
The  talisman  cannot  be  opened  to  any  one  unless 
by  killing  a  white  cock  on  the  mound,  and  pouring 
the  blood  over  it.  I  imagine  that  no  man  will  dis- 


Abu  Neut  and  Abu  Neuteen.         373 

cover  the  secret."  Having  said  this,  the  afreets 
took  their  flight  from  the  well. 

Abu  Neut  treasured  up  in  his  mind  the  conversa 
tion  of  the  afreets,  and  at  daylight  was  happily 
released  from  the  well  upon  the  arrival  of  a  caravan, 
some  of  the  followers  of  which  were  let  down  to  fetch 
water,  and  having  discovered  him,  charitably  drew 
him  up,  and  gave  him  some  food.  When  he  was 
somewhat  revived,  they  asked  him  by  what  accident 
he  had  remained  in  the  well  ;  upon  which  he  con 
cealed  the  treachery  of  his  ungrateful  companion,  and 
informed  them  that  he  had  slept  by  the  brink,  and 
had  fallen  in  ;  and  as  his  fellow  travellers  had  not 
missed  him  at  the  time,  the  caravan  had  continued 
its  journey  without  him.  He  then  begged  leave  to 
accompany  his  generous  deliverers  to  Mosul,  to  which 
they  agreed,  and  liberally  furnished  him  with  a  con 
veyance. 

On  entering  the  city,  Abu  Neut  perceived  all  the 
population  in  motion,  and  on  inquiring  the  reason, 
was  informed  that  they  were  hastening  to  the  great 
square  before  the  palace,  to  see  the  beheading  of  a 
physician,  who  had  failed  in  attempting  to  expel 
a  demon  who  had  long  possessed  the  daughter  of 
the  Sultan,  and  that  this  had  been  the  fate  of  many 
unhappy  men  who  had  tried  their  skill*  upon  the 
unfortunate  princess.  Upon  this  intelligence  he 

33 


374  New  Arabian  Nights. 

hastened  with  all  speed  to  the  palace,  and  having 
obtained  admission  to  the  Sultan,  made  the  usual 
prostrations,  after  which  he  offered  to  expel  the 
demon,  and  begged  as  part  of  his  reward  the  life  of 
the  unsuccessful  physician.  The  Sultan  consented 
to  delay  the  execution,  but  declared  that  if  Abu 
Neut  should  fail  in  his  undertaking,  he  would 
execute  them  both  together,  as  ignorant  pretenders 
to  their  art.  Abu  Neut  then  begged  that  the  trial 
of  his  skill  might  be  deferred  until  the  next  Friday, 
which  he  requested  of  the  Sultan  might  be  solemnly 
observed,  as  the  devout  prayers  of  all  true  believers 
would  draw  down  a  blessing  on  his  operations.  To 
this  the  Sultan  agreed,  and  the  unfortunate  physician 
was  released  from  the  executioner,  and  commanded 
to  be  kept  in  the  palace,  in  which  Abu  Neut  had 
likewise  an  apartment  allotted  to  him.  Proclamation 
was  then  made  throughout  the  city  for  the  strict  ob 
servance  of  religious  worship  on  the  approaching 
Friday,  under  pain  of  the  royal  displeasure  on  those 
who  should  neglect  it. 

When  Friday  arrived,  and  the  whole  city  was 
assembled  at  prayers,  Abu  Neut  prepared  the  in 
fusion  of  wormwood  as  the  afreet  had  mentioned. 
Being  introduced  into  the  apartment  of  the  princess, 
who  lay  in  a  melancholy  stupor,  he  poured  the 
infusion  upon  her  feet,  when  a  loud  yell  was  heard 


Abu  Neut  and  Abie  Neuteen.         375 

near  her,  and  she  started  up  as  if  from  sleep,  and 
called  to  her  attendants  to  assist  her  in  rising.  News 
was  immediately  conveyed  to  the  Sultan  of  the  prin 
cess's  recovery,  and  he  came,  overjoyed  to  find  that 
her  senses  had  returned.  He  commanded  public 
rejoicings  to  be  made,  distributed  large  sums  in 
alms,  and  desired  Abu  Neut  to  demand  what  he 
chose  for  his  important  services,  at  the  same  time 
ordering  the  unsuccessful  physician  to  be  set  at 
liberty  with  a  handsome  present. 

Abu  Neut,  who  had  been  captivated  by  the  beauty 
of  the  princess,  asked  her  hand  in  marriage  as  his 
reward.  Upon  this  the  Sultan  consulted  with  his 
viziers,  who  advised  him  to  dismiss  the  petitioner 
for  the  present,  with  orders  to  return  in  the  morning, 
when  he  should  receive  the  Sultan's  decision  on  a 
request  which  demanded  much  consideration.  When 
Abu  Neut  had  retired,  the  viziers  represented  to  the 
Sultan  that  it  was  fitting  that  the  husband  of  his 
daughter  should  at  least  possess  great  wealth  ;  for 
although  Abu  Neut  had  expelled  the  demon,  yet  if 
he  could  not  support  her  in  a  manner  becoming  her 
rank,  he  was  not  worthy  to  marry  her.  They  there 
fore  advised  him  to  select  a  number  of  his  most 
valuable  jewels,  to  show  them  to  Abu  Neut,  and  to 
demand  as  a  dowry  for  the  princess  some  of  equal 
value.  If  he  could  produce  them  he  was  ready  to 


376  New  Arabian  Nights. 

receive  him  as  his  son-in-law,  but  if  not  he  must 
accept  a  compensation  for  his  services  more  suited 
to  his  condition  than  the  royal  alliance. 

When  Abu  Neut  appeared  at  court  next  day,  the 
Sultan  displayed  the  jewels,  and  made  the  proposal 
advised  by  his  viziers.  But  Abu  Neut  looked  upon 
the  brilliant  stones  before  him  with  the  utmost  in 
difference,  and  assured  the  Sultan  that  he  would 
next  day  present  him  with  ten  times  the  number,  of 
superior  value  and  lustre.  This  astonished  the  whole 
court ;  for  it  was  well  known  that  no  prince  pos 
sessed  richer  gems  than  those  belonging  to  the 
Sultan  of  Mosul. 

Abu  Neut  took  leave  of  the  Sultan,  and  proceeded 
to  the  poultry  market,  where  he  bought  a  cock  which 
was  entirely  white  and  free  from  blemish.  He  carried 
it  to  his  lodgings,  where  he  continued  till  the  rising 
of  the  moon,  when  he  walked  out  of  the  city  alone, 
and  hastened  to  the  mound  of  bluish  earth  which  the 
afreet  of  the  well  had  mentioned  as  containing  in 
valuable  hidden  treasures.  Having  arrived  at  the 
mound,  he  ascended  it  and  cut  the  throat  of  the 
cock,  and  as  soon  as  the  blood  began  to  flow  the 
earth  shook  and  made  an  opening,  through  which, 
to  his  great  satisfaction,  he  perceived  such  heaps  of 
•inestimable  precious  stones  of  all  sorts  as  are  not  to 
be  adequately  described.  Abu  Neut  now  returned 


377 


Abu  Neut  and  Abu  Neuteen.         379 

to  the  city,  where,  having  procured  ten  camels  with 
two  panniers  on  each,  he  returned  and  loaded 
them  with  his  treasure,  which  he  conveyed  to  his 
lodging,  having  first  filled  up  the  opening  in  the 
mound. 

In  the  morning  Abu  Neut  repaired  with  his  loaded 
camels  to  the  palace,  and,  entering  the  court  of  the 
divan  where  the  Sultan  sat  expecting  him,  he  made 
a  profound  obeisance,  and  exclaimed  :  "  Descend  for 
a  moment,  my  lord,  and  examine  the  dowry  of  the 
princess." 

The  Sultan  rose  from  his  throne,  and  descended 
the  steps  of  the  hall.  The  camels  were  made  to 
kneel,  and  he  examined  the  panniers,  and  was  so 
astonished  at  the  richness  of  their  contents,  being 
jewels  far  surpassing  his  own  in  size  and  lustre,  that 
he  exclaimed  :  "  By  Allah,  if  the  treasures  of  all  the 
sultans  of  the  world  were  brought  together,  they 
could  not  afford  gems  equal  to  these ! " 

When  he  was  a  little  recovered  from  his  surprise, 
he  asked  his  viziers  how  he  should  now  act  towards 
Abu  Neut,  when  they  all  cried  out  together :  "  By 
all  means  give  him  your  daughter !  " 

The  marriage  was  immediately  celebrated  with 
great  splendour ;  and  Abu  Neut  conducted  himself 
so  well  in  his  high  station  that  the  Sultan,  his  father- 
in-law,  committed  to  him  the  giving  public  audience 


380  New  Arabian  Nights. 


in  his  stead,  and  the  decision  of  all  appeals  three  days 
in  each  week. 

Some  days  after  his  elevation,  Abu  Neut  was 
giving  audience  in  the  magnificent  hall  of  one  of 
his  country  palaces,  when  he  beheld  a  man  among 
the  crowd  of  a  sorrowful  aspect,  who  cried  out :  "  O 
true  believers,  O  charitable  gentlemen,  relieve  the 
distressed!" 

Abu  Neut  sent  one  of  his  attendants  to  bring  him 
to  his  presence,  when  he  immediately  recognised  his 
treacherous  companion  who  had  left  him  in  the 
well.  Without  making  himself  known,  or  betray 
ing  any  emotion  but  that  of  compassion,  he  ordered 
attendants  to  conduct  him  to  the  warm  bath  ;  and 
after  bathing  he  was  arrayed  in  a  magnificent  robe 
and  again  brought  to  the  divan.  Abu  Neut  then 
retired  with  him  into  a  private  apartment,  and  said  : 
"  Do  you  not  know  me,  my  old  friend  ?  " 

"  No,  by  Allah !  "  replied  the  other. 

"  Know  then,"  returned  he,  "  that  I  am  Abu  Neut, 
your  benefactor  and  companion,  whom  you  trea 
cherously  left  in  the  well."  He  then  related  all  his 
adventures,  and  added  that  so  far  from  resenting  his 
treachery,  he  regarded  his  conduct  as  the  impulse  of 
fate,  and  as  the  means  by  which  he  himself  had 
attained  to  his  present  dignity  and  affluence,  which 
he  would  share  with  him. 


Abu  Neut  and  Abu  Neiiteen.         381 

But  the  envious  heart  of  Abu  Neuteen  was  un 
conquerable  ;  and,  instead  of  thanking  the  noble- 
minded  Abu  Neut  for  his  forgiveness  and  liberality, 
he  exclaimed  :  "  Since  the  well  has  been  so  fortunate 
to  you,  why  should  it  not  also  prove  so  to  me?" 
Having  said  this,  he  hastily  rose  up  and  quitted  the 
palace,  without  even  taking  leave  of  Abu  Neut,  who 
would  not  punish  his  rudeness. 

Abu  Neuteen  then  hastened  with  all  speed  to  the 
well,  and,  having  descended  by  a  rope,  sat  down, 
impatiently  expecting  the  arrival  of  the  two  afreets, 
who  alighted  on  the  terrace  above  about  midnight 
They  sat  down  by  the  well  and  began  to  inquire 
into  each  other's  adventures. 

"  Since  we  last  met,"  said  one,  "  I  have  been 
rendered  miserable  ;  for  a  cunning  Muslim  found 
out  the  means  of  overpowering  me,  and  has  married 
my  princess,  and  I  cannot  revenge  myself,  for  he  is 
under  the  protection  of  one  of  the  converted  genii, 
whom  the  Prophet  has  appointed  to  watch  over  him." 

"  I  have  been  just  as  unfortunate  as  yourself,"  re 
plied  the  other  afreet,  "  for  the  same  man  who  has 
married  the  princess  discovered  my  hidden  treasure, 
and  keeps  it  in  spite  of  my  efforts  to  recover  it.  But 
let  us  fill  up  this  abominable  well,  which  has  been 
the  cause  of  all  our  misfortunes." 

Having   said    this    the   two    afreets    immediately 


382  New  Arabian  Nights. 

hurled  the  large  stones  from  the  terrace  into  the  well, 
and  crushed  the  ungrateful  and  envious  Abu  Neuteen 
to  atoms. 

Some  days  afterwards  the  good  Abu  Neut,  find 
ing  that  he  did  not  return,  visited  the  well,  and 
seeing  it  fallen  in,  ordered  it  to  be  cleared,  when 
the  discovery  of  the  body  proved  to  him  that  the 
malicious  spirit  of  the  wretch  had  been  the  cause 
of  his  own  destruction.  He  exclaimed  reverently  : 

"  There  is  no  strength  nor  refuge  but  in  Almighty 
God.  May  He  preserve  us  from  envy,  which  is  de 
structive  to  the  envious  alone  !  " 

Abu  Neut  returned  to  the  capital,  where  his  father- 
in-law,  the  Sultan,  soon  afterwards  died,  and  left  him 
heir  to  the  kingdom.  His  succession  was  disputed 
by  the  husbands  of  the  two  elder  sisters  of  his  wife ; 
but  the  ministers  and  people  being  in  favour  of  the 
Sultan's  will,  they  resigned  their  pretensions  and 
submitted  to  his  authority.  But  when  two  sons  were 
successively  born,  the  sisters  bribed  the  servants  to 
make  away  with  them,  and  accounted  for  their  dis 
appearance  by  some  idle  tale.  On  the  occasion  of 
the  birth  of  a  princess,  however,  Abu  Neut  happened 
to  intercept  the  servant  who  was  carrying  away  the 
infant.  The  two  other  children  had  been  thrown  out 
at  the  gate  of  one  of  the  royal  palaces,  but  were 
taken  up  by  the  gardener  and  his  wife,  who  brought 


Abu  Neitt  and  Abu  Neuteen.         383 

them  up  as  their  own.  A  few  years  afterwards  Abu 
Neut  visited  the  garden  with  his  daughter,  who 
showed  an  instinctive  affection  for  them.  From  this, 
and  from  observing  their  martial  sports  (for  they  had 
made  themselves  horses  of  clay,  bows  and  arrows, 
etc.)  he  was  led  to  ask  the  gardener  if  they  were 
really  his  own  children.  Upon  this  the  gardener 
told  him  that  he  had  found  them  exposed  at  the 
gate  of  the  palace ;  and  further  inquiries  resulted  in 
the  discovery  of  the  royal  birth  of  the  children,  and 
in  the  disclosure  of  the  whole  plot.  But  Abu  Neut, 
though  informed  of  the  wickedness  and  imposition 
of  the  sisters,  left  them  to  be  punished  by  the  pangs 
of  their  own  consciences,  convinced  that  envy  is  its 
own  severest  tormentor.  The  two  young  princes 
were  acknowledged  as  the  sons  of  the  good  Abu 
Neut,  who  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  them  grow 
up  to  follow  his  example. 


THE    FISHERMAN'S   SON. 


'HERE  was  once  a  fisherman's  son  who 
caught  a  large  fish,  which  his  father  pro 
posed  to  present  to  the  Sultan,  in  hopes  of 
receiving  a  great  reward.  While  the  father 
went  to  fetch  a  basket,  the  son,  in  compassion, 
threw  the  fish  back  into  the  water ;  but  fearful  of  his 
father's  anger,  fled  from  the  country  to  a  distant 
city,  where  he  obtained  employment  as  a  servant. 
Strolling  through  the  market  one  day  he  saw  a  Jew 
purchase  a  cock  at  a  very  high  price,  which  he  sent 
to  his  wife  by  a  slave,  with  orders  to  keep  it  safely 
till  his  return  home.  The  fisherman's  son  suspected 
that  the  Jew  would  not  have  given  so  high  a  price 
for  the  cock  unless  it  possessed  some  extraordinary 
property;  and  resolved  to  obtain  possession  of  it.  He 
therefore  bought  two  large  fowls  and  carried  them 
to  the  Jew's  wife,  whom  he  informed  that  her  hus 
band  had  sent  him  for  the  cock,  which  he  had 
exchanged  for  the  fowls.  She  gave  him  the  cock 

384 


The  Fisherman  s  Son.  385 

which  he  took  home  and  killed,  when  he  found 
a  magic  ring  in  its  entrails.  He  rubbed  it,  when 
a  voice  proceeded  from  it,  inquiring  the  commands  of 
its  possessor,  which  should  be  immediately  executed 
by  the  genii  who  were  the  servants  of  the  ring. 

The  fisherman's  son  was  rejoiced  at  his  good 
fortune,  and  while  meditating  what  use  he  should 
make  of  his  ring,  passed  by  the  Sultan's  palace,  at  the 
gate  of  which  were  suspended  many  human'-  heads. 
On  inquiring  the  reason,  he  was  informed  that  they 
were  those  of  unfortunate  princes  who  had  been  put 
to  death  for  failing  to  perform  the  conditions  on 
which  the  Sultan's  daughter  had  been  offered  them  in 
marriage.  He  resolved  to  demand  the  princess's  hand 
himself,  hoping  for  better  fortune  with  the  aid  of  the 
ring.  He  rubbed  it,  and  asked  for  a  magnificent 
dress,  which  was  instantly  laid  before  him.  He  put 
it  on  and  repaired  to  the  palace,  and  being  intro 
duced  to  the  Sultan,  demanded  the  hand  of  his 
daughter.  The  Sultan  consented  on  condition  that 
his  life  should  be  forfeited  unless  he  could  remove 
a  lofty  and  extensive  mound  of  sand  which  lay  on 
one  side  of  the  palace,  which  must  be  done  before  he 
could  wed  the  princess.  He  accepted  the  condition, 
demanding  an  interval  of  forty  days  to  perform  his 
task,  which  was  granted  him. 

He  then  took  leave  and  repaired    to  his  lodging, 


t>         t>! 

34 


386  New  Arabian  Nights. 

when  he  rubbed  his  rkig  and  commanded  the  genii 
to  remove  the  mound  and  to  erect  on  the  space  it 
covered  a  magnificent  palace,  suitably  furnished  for 
a  royal  residence.  In  fifteen  days  the  task  was  com 
pleted,  when  he  was  wedded  to  the  princess  and 
declared  heir  to  the  Sultan. 

In  the  meanwhile  the  Jew  whom  he  had  tricked 
out  of  the  cock  and  the  magic  ring,  was  making 
preparations  to  travel  in  search  of  his  lost  prize, 
when  he  was  informed  of  the  wonderful  removal  of 
the  mound,  and  of  the  erection  of  the  palace.  He 
concluded  that  this  must  have  been  done  by  means 
of  his  ring,  and  he  devised  the  following  stratagem 
to  recover  it.  He  disguised  himself  as  a  merchant, 
repaired  to  the  palace  and  cried  some  valuable 
jewels  for  sale.  The  princess,  hearing  this,  sent  an 
attendant  to  examine  them  and  inquire  their  price, 
when  the  Jew  asked  in  exchange  only  old  rings. 
When  this  was  reported  to  the  princess  she  remem 
bered  that  her  husband  kept  an  old  shabby  looking 
ring  in  his  writing  stand,  and  as  he  was  asleep,  and 
she  did  not  wish  to  disturb  him,  she  took  it  out  and 
sent  it  to  the  Jew,  who  knew  it  to  be  the  ring  which 
he  had  so  long  sought  for,  and  eagerly  gave  for  it  all 
the*  jewels  in  his  basket.  He  carried  off  his  prize, 
and  having  rubbed  the  ring,  commanded  the  genii  to 
carry  the  palace  and  all  its  inhabitants,  except  the 


387 


The  Fisherman  s  Son.  389 

fisherman's  son,  to  a  distant  desert  island,  which  was 
done  instantly. 

When  the  fisherman's  son  awoke  in  the  morning, 
he  found  himself  lying  on  the  mound  of  sand  which 
had  again  covered  the  spot.  He  arose  in  terror, 
fearing  that  the  Sultan  would  put  him  to  death  in 
revenge  for  the  loss  of  his  daughter,  and  fled  to 
another  kingdom  as  quickly  as  possible.  Here  he 
lived  a  miserable  life,  subsisting  on  the  sale  of  some 
jewels  which  he  happened  to  have  about  him  at  the 
time  of  his  flight.  As  he  was  strolling  through  a 
town  one  day,  a  man  offered  him  a  dog,  a  cat,  and 
a  rat  for  sale.  He  purchased  and  kept  them,  divert 
ing  his  melancholy  with  their  tricks  and  uncommon 
playfulness.  These  supposed  animals  proved  to  be 
magicians,  and  in  return  for  his  kindness  to  them 
they  promised  their  master  aid  in  the  recovery 
of  his  lost  prize.  He  eagerly  thanked  them,  and 
they  all  set  out  in  search  of  the  palace,  the  ring,  and 
the  princess.  At  length,  after  a  long  journey,  they 
reached  the  ocean  and  perceived  the  island  where 
the  palace  stood,  when  the  dog  swam  over,  carry 
ing  the  cat  and  the  rat  on  his  back.  When  they 
reached  the  palace  the  rat  entered  and  found  the 
Jew  asleep  upon  a  sofa,  with  the  ring  laid  before 
him.  He  took  it  in  his  mouth  and  returned  to  his 
companions,  upon  which  they  began  to  cross  the  sea 


3QO  New  Arabian  Nights. 

as  before  ;  but  when  they  were  half  way  over,  the 
dog  expressed  a  wish  to  carry  the  ring  in  his  mouth. 
The  rat  refused,  lest  he  should  drop  it ;  but  the  dog 
threatened  to  dive  and  drown  them  all  in  the  sea 
if  he  would  not  give  it  him.  The  rat,  fearing  for  his 
life,  complied  with  the  demand,  but  the  dog  missed 
his  aim  in  catching  at  the  ring,  which  fell  into  the  sea. 
When  they  landed  and  informed  the  fisherman's  son 
of  the  loss,  he  resolved  to  drown  himself,  when  just  as 
he  was  about  to  execute  his  purpose  a  great  fish 
appeared  with  the  ring  in  his  mouth,  and  swimming 
close  to  shore,  dropped  it  within  reach  of  the  de 
spairing  youth,  exclaiming  : 

"  I  am  the  fish  whom  you  released  from  captivity, 
and  thus  reward  you  for  your  generosity." 

The  fisherman's  son  returned  overjoyed  to  his 
father-in-law's  capital,  and  when  night  fell  he  rubbed 
the  ring  and  commanded  the  genii  to  convey  the 
palace  back  to  its  old  site.  This  being  done  in  an 
instant,  he  entered  the  palace  and  seized  the  Jew, 
whom  he  commanded  to  be  cast  alive  into  a  burning 
pit,  in  which  he  was  consumed.  From  this  period 
he  lived  happily  with  the  princess,  and  on  the  death 
of  the  Sultan  he  succeeded  to  his  dominions. 


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